St Louis Cardinals

While Nolan Arenado has been connected to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at times this offseason, it is reportedly looking more likely that he will remain with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Wednesday that the trade market for the third baseman "has not progressed recently." He also added "the chances continue to increase" he will be with the Cardinals at the start of Spring Training.

There has been no shortage of Arenado discussions this offseason, and he even invoked his no-trade clause in December to block a trade with the Houston Astros.

Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive reported earlier this month that Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has made no secret of the team's desire to trade him "in an effort to cut payroll."

But that contract and his no-trade clause makes finding the right partner, especially at this point of the offseason with Spring Training set to begin next month, all the more difficult.

Arenado is scheduled to make $21 million in base salary in 2025, $16 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027 on his current deal. That is a significant deal with plenty of years remaining for someone who will turn 34 in April, although he has quite the resume.

Since entering the league in 2013, the third baseman has eight All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers. He is one of the best infielders in his generation and is someone who can hit for average and power while playing excellent defense on the hot corner.

Yet he is coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign by his elevated standards.

He slashed .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI for a Cardinals team that missed the playoffs. Trading him could help St. Louis accelerate a retooling of its roster with a focus on younger players, but that is proving to be easier said than done to this point.

Nolan Arenado may be returning to the St. Louis Cardinals next season after reports indicated that the New York Yankees were unwilling to take on his contract, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Katie Woo.

"(Although) the Yankees like Arenado, they aren't interested in taking on the majority of his contract, something that would almost certainly need to happen from the Cardinals perspective," Sammon and Woo wrote.

The Yankees emerged as a potential suitor for Arenado after signing his friend and teammate Paul Goldschmidt in mid-December, but a trade for a third baseman doesn't appear to be a priority at the moment.

Early in the offseason, St. Louis made it clear they intended to trade Arenado, with president of baseball operations John Mozeliak citing "financial reprieve" as the reason, according to Sammon and Woo. The Cardinals are also planning to reset the roster in 2025 as well as lower the team payroll and upgrade its player development system, per Sammon and Woo.

Mozeliak and Arenado initially agreed that parting ways would be the best move for both the team and his long-term plans. By mid-December, they believed they had found a suitable trade partner for Arenado, according to Sammon and Woo.

Mozeliak and the Cardinals were under the impression that the third baseman would be relocating to Houston to join the Astros who would take Arenado on as well as the majority of his three-year, $74 million salary, per Sammon and Woo. However, Arenado wasn't fully convinced and decided to exercise his full no-trade clause, ultimately blocking the deal.

Despite their goal of actively trading Arenado, the Cardinals' reluctance to take on a significant portion of his salary—since the primary aim is to offload his contract—led Mozeliak to admit he is "not sure that puts us exactly where we want to be," per Sammon and Woo.

"From a financial standpoint, we're trying to move our payroll," Mozeliak said during December's Winter Meetings. "There are certainly other ways we can do this, but (moving Arenado) would be a big help. (The reason) is mostly financial, but it also creates runway for someone else."

If the Cardinals cannot find a trade partner for Arenado, they are prepared to trade a few starting pitchers instead. However, this is not their preferred option, as they hope to retain right-hander Erick Fedde until the trade deadline, according to Sammon and Woo.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado has informed the St. Louis Cardinals that he will not waive his no-trade clause to head to the Houston Astros, who have been in talks with the Redbirds about a potential deal for the eight-time All-Star.

Mark Feinsand, John Denton and Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported the news.

"It's unknown exactly why Arenado doesn't want to go to the Astros, though given his desire to join a team that can win now, Houston's trade of Kyle Tucker to the Cubs last week couldn't have helped its effort to land the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner," the MLB.com trio noted.

Katie Woo of The Athletic added more information regarding Arenado's decision.

Arenado, who is entering his age-34 season, hit .272 (.719 OPS) with 16 home runs and 71 RBI last year.

Feinsand, Denton and McTaggart added that there were "ongoing talks" between St. Louis and Houston. However, another source noted that "it's definitely not close."

At this juncture, the trade talks appear all but dead barring a change-of-heart from Arenado. It also doesn't appear that talks are close with any other team at the moment.

"All I can say is that we were in talks with multiple teams, and we still are, but I have nothing pending," Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday, per MLB.com. "We're still working on a lot of things, and hopefully we have clarity as we get into the new year."

There's also a financial factor here. Simply put, Mozeliak is looking to move Arenado's contract off the team's payroll.

"We both remain optimistic that both parties will remain happy somehow," Mozeliak said during Winter Meetings, which took place in Dallas last week.

"[Arenado remaining with the Cardinals] is a possibility, but I'm not sure that puts us where we want to be. From a financial standpoint of trying to move our payroll – there are certainly other ways to do that, but [trading Arenado] would be a big help. It's financial, but it also creates a runway for someone else."

As Feinsand, Denton and McTaggart noted, the Cardinals would have paid Houston $15 million - $20 million to help pay down the rest of Arenado's three-year, $74 million deal, $10 million of which is being covered by the Colorado Rockies as part of their 2021 trade. A total of $12 million of the deal is deferred as well.

The Astros had Alex Bregman at third base for nine years, but all signs are pointing to him leaving town in free agency at this juncture, especially given Houston's interest in Arenado. ESPN's David Schoenfield has recently predicted the Boston Red Sox to land Bregman.

So it's unclear where the Astros go from here at third base, and it's also uncertain where Arenado will land. There's plenty of time for both of those situations to figure themselves out though as the hot stove season continues.

There are reportedly plenty of teams St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado would accept a trade to this offseason.

John Denton of MLB.com reported Tuesday that the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels are all "on his wish list." What's more, he would also "accept" being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

That's important because the veteran has a full no-trade clause on his contract and would have to approve of any move.

Denton explained the Cardinals are looking to trade Arenado "to lessen their financial responsibilities over the next three years and create more infield playing time opportunities for Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese."

Arenado is set to make $74 million over the next three seasons, so the eventual trade will allow St. Louis to accelerate a potential rebuild and create more financial flexibility. And it will help the eight-time All-Star compete for his first World Series, as the Cardinals are coming off two straight playoff-less seasons.

"He doesn't have the ability to ride it out and just be OK with [losing]," agent Joel Wolfe said while also revealing Arenado would be willing to switch positions if needed. "It's like his biological clock is ticking and if the team's not winning, it's driving him crazy—every day, every night and all through the offseason—and he takes it so personal and [acts] like it's all on him."

The Dodgers, Padres, Phillies and Mets all jump out as clear World Series contenders, especially after the latter added Juan Soto this offseason. That would be quite the one-two punch in the lineup as New York attempts to take the next step in the National League East.

That would be even more of the case if the 33-year-old can bounce back some from an offensive perspective.

He is an eight-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and 10-time Gold Glover, but he wasn't quite as effective in 2024 while slashing .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI in 152 games.

Perhaps playing in a loaded lineup that could offer him more protection would help Arenado return to the peak production he isn't far removed from, and the Cardinals can't offer as much of that as some of the teams on his wish list.

With the Soto free agency now resolved, there will be far more attention on Arenado as the offseason dominoes continue to fall. And there are apparently a number of teams that still have a chance at landing him.

St. Louis Cardinals may need to look elsewhere than the Los Angeles Dodgers in order to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado.

According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, sources around the Dodgers say "a deal for Arenado is not a possibility the organization has considered."

The news comes after Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes told reporters Max Muncy would start at third base on Opening Day, per David Vassegh of AM 570.

Arenado has a full no-trade clause, but his agent Joel Wolfe told USA Today's Bob Nightengale on Tuesday that the list of teams he would be willing to consider is "bigger than you would think."

Wolfe has been granted permission by the Cardinals to "speak directly to teams to help facilitate a trade," per Nightengale.

Wolfe's comment to Nightengale counters an earlier report from ESPN's Buster Olney, who wrote on Saturday that the Cardinals were considering trade possibilities from "a very limited list of Nolan Arenado's preferred teams."

The Dodgers were previously linked to Arenado, a Newport Beach native, ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. At the time, Wolfe said reports that Arenado would only waive his no-trade clause to go to Los Angeles were "inaccurate," per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three seasons, with $10 million to be paid for by the Colorado Rockies as per the terms of his 2021 trade to the Cardinals.

The Dodgers, and the deep pockets afforded by the team's more than $1 billion in deferred money, could theoretically afford to pick up that price tag. The Athletic's Katie Woo also reported that Arenado will only accept a trade to a team "set up to contend for multiple seasons," making the reigning World Series champions a theoretical match.

But if the Dodgers are set on Muncy at third, trading for Arenado wouldn't make sense for Los Angeles. His apparent willingness to move to first base with a new team, as reported by Woo, won't help him slide into an infield already staffed by Freddie Freeman.

With the Dodgers potentially out of the picture, the Cardinals will have to look elsewhere to find a team in need of an infielder. One option could be the New York Yankees, who have money to burn after losing out on star outfielder Juan Soto, and could slide Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second if they acquire a third baseman. They could be a potential fit if Aaron Boone is interested and Arenado is willing to waive his no-trade clause and head to the Bronx.

The St. Louis Cardinals don't currently plan to trade closer Ryan Helsley but are "open-minded" to offers, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

"It's something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have him be part of our organization," Mozeliak told Rosenthal.

The Cardinals are also "continuing to explore" the market for third baseman Nolan Arenado, Katie Woo previously reported for The Athletic. Dealing Helsley and Arenado would launch a rebuild for the franchise in 2025.

Helsley led the MLB with a career-high 49 saves in 2024. He is arbitration-eligible for one more season and projected to make $8.1 million in 2025 by Spotrac.

That's a relative bargain for a closer who set the Cardinals' single-season saves franchise record in just 53 chances. His NL-leading 92.5 percent save percentage earned him the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award and an All-MLB First Team spot.

For the Cardinals, a team that hasn't topped 83 wins or made the postseason for two straight seasons, taking advantage of Helsley's value to a contender and recouping picks or prospects in return could end up being a better option than risking losing him for nothing next spring.

The 30-year-old pitcher, who was drafted by the Cardinals and has since appeared in 239 games over six seasons with the team, recently indicated to MLB.com's John Denton that he was preparing for the possibility of playing for another franchise in 2025.

"If I get traded, I hope it's to a team that I can help win," Helsley told Denton on Sunday. "But that would be an emotional day because I grew up rooting for the Cardinals, got drafted by them in 2015 and I've spent 10 years with them. But, at the end of the day, I've got to be professional and move on if it comes to that."

Helsley added that he believed contract talks "had gone well."

"They say they love having me here in St. Louis. With the way things have gone this last year, they like me where I'm at [financially], but they don't know if they want to keep me long-term," Helsley told Denton.

The Cardinals announced in September that Mozeliak, who was serving as general manager when the team originally drafted Helsley in 2015, will retire in 2026. Future president of baseball ops Chaim Bloom, who will be leading the team after the 2025 season, could ultimately influence the club's decision regarding Helsley.

Should Mozeliak and Bloom decide to let their star closer hit the trade market, Helsley could be sought after by clubs in need of a closer such as the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees.

Nolan Arenado could be moving on this winter after four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

According to The Athletic's Katie Woo, multiple sources around the MLB believe the 33-year-old is more likely to be traded by the Cardinals than remain with the team for the 2025 season.

Arenado has a no-trade clause and three years remaining on his current contract. A Cardinals team source told Woo that he would only waive the clause for a contending team.

The eight-time All-Star is looking for more production in 2025 after batting .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI last season.

That marked his lowest home run total through a full season since his 2014 campaign with the Rockies.

But Arenado expressed confidence he would be able to increase his production in 2025 as he continues to recover from the back injury that cut short his 2023 season.

"I played over 150 games, I didn't have the back issues I did last year and there's no doubt my body can hold up," he told MLB.com's John Denton about his 2024 campaign in September.

He added that his plan this offseason is to "get back in the gym" and work on his explosiveness.

According to Woo, Arenado is also willing to switch to first base or "at least" spend less time at third base in order to appeal to contenders.

That infield flexibility could make him a more appealing trade option, as could his contributions on defense. After not being named a Gold Glove Awards finalist in 2023 for the first time in 11 seasons, he made it back on the list in 2024.

Trading Arenado would help the Cardinals achieve their likely goal this winter of clearing out salary to bring young talent to the roster, but there is still the possibility St. Louis would have to take on part of his deal in order to move him.

Although the Colorado Rockies are still paying some of Arenado's salary as part of the terms of his 2021 trade to the Cardinals, Woo reported that he has three seasons and $74 million remaining on his current contract.

As the St. Louis Cardinals have already indicated they intend to cut back on payroll next season after a disappointing 2024, Nolan Arenado's future with the organization appears to be very much in doubt.

Per The Athletic's Katie Woo, there is a "growing sense" among people in MLB that Arenado will be traded at some point this offseason.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported earlier this month that the Cardinals were "unsure" of what their payroll budget for next season would be amid uncertainty about the local television rights deal with Diamond Sports Group.

Last season also marked the first time since 2003 that the Cardinals failed to draw at least 3 million fans to Busch Stadium in a full season when max capacity was allowed. (They drew 2.1 million fans in 2021, but stadium capacity was limited for the first two months of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

The Cardinals' payroll for next season is currently projected to be $137.7 million. That's down from $192.8 million in cash spending on the 2024 roster. The biggest cut was the expiring contract for Paul Goldschmidt, who earned $26 million last season.

They also declined team options for Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Kenyan Middleton that saved an additional $29 million in 2025.

Goold added the Cardinals are open to trading Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray, but trading either could be difficult since they both have full no-trade clauses in their contracts.

Arenado also has a full no-trade clause and is owed $52 million over the next three seasons. Woo noted Arenado and Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak discussed the possibility of a trade near the end of the season, and Arenado was "agreeable" to the idea without demanding to be dealt.

An eight-time All-Star, Arenado is coming off a down year in 2024. He hit .272/.325/.394 with 16 homers and 71 RBI in 152 games. His .719 OPS was his lowest in a season since he was a rookie with the Colorado Rockies in 2013.

One of the best sluggers in MLB is reportedly set to hit the open market over the offseason.

According to The Athletic's Katie Woo, the St. Louis Cardinals "are expected to part ways with" star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt when his contract expires at the end of the 2024 campaign.

Goldschmidt is in the final season of the five-year, $130 million deal he signed with the Cardinals prior to the 2019 season. Woo noted that St. Louis is "planning to transition to a reset in 2025," which led to the decision to "move on from one of their franchise faces."

A seven-time All-Star and the 2022 National League MVP, Goldschmidt has been one of the most consistent power hitters in MLB since he made his major-league debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011. The 37-year-old has hit 30 or more home runs in a season seven times in his career.

Unfortunately, 2024 has been a down year for Goldschmidt by his standards. In 153 games, he registered a career-low batting average of .245 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI, his lowest totals since 2020 when he was limited to 58 games due to an elbow injury.

At 82-79 entering Sunday's season finale against the San Francisco Giants, the Cardinals are set to miss the playoffs for the second straight year. St. Louis ended a run of four straight postseason appearances in 2023 after finishing with a 71-91 record.

The only thing missing from Goldschmidt's career resume is a World Series title, so he will likely be looking to join a contender when he hits the open market this offseason.