Cardinals' $260 Million All-Star Was Never A Possibility For Royals
The Kansas City Royals have been in search of a bat all offseason long. Options were relatively sparse for them, and they remain as such.
The St. Louis Cardinals were actively shopping Nolan Arenado this winter. They even spoke to the Royals about a potential deal. Adding Arenado would have given the Royals the extra power bat they need to go next to Bobby Witt Jr.
However, Katie Woo of The Athletic revealed that despite the Cardinals and Royals discussing a deal, Arenado ending up in Kansas City was never a possibility, thanks in large part to his no-trade clause.
"Arenado wasn’t going to accept a trade just anywhere. Should he be dealt, it would be to a team that had firmly put itself in a position to contend for a World Series or a team that was planning to in the near future," Woo reported.
"That’s why talks with the Tigers, Royals and Angels never got off the ground. Those teams were viewed as non-starters by the player, a source described, and no substantial discussions took place. But as word spread that the Cardinals were actively taking calls on Arenado, more teams began to take notice."
Clearly, Arenado did not view the Royals as enough of a contender to accept a trade to the West side of Missouri for 2025 and beyond.
He was nearly traded to the Houston Astros, but despite them being on his list of preferred destinations, he rejected the deal. Now, he remains in St. Louis.
As for the Royals, they have a few options they could look into. It's always possible they could take a look at J.D. Martinez.
More MLB: Royals Floated As Trade Fit For $55 Million Former All-Star From Rival White Sox
Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.