So Strahm decided to have fun with the comparison, getting a glove with the Declaration of Independence inscribed on it, an homage to Cage's National Treasure:
Bryce Harper has generally been the themed equipment king on these Phillies, often inspired by his love of the Phillie Phanatic. But Strahm's homage to National Treasure takes the cake.
Red Sox vs. Rays Betting Odds, Player Props and Picks for April 16
Joe Tansey
Apr 16, 2025
Steinbrenner Field rapidly turned into the new hittersâ paradise in Major League Baseball.
The Tampa Bay Rays and their opponents have combined to score at least nine runs in each of the last seven games at the temporary home of the American League East side.
The midweek series with the Boston Red Sox has been particularly advantageous to over bettors.
The Rays put up 16 runs on Monday and the Red Sox rebounded with a 7-4 victory on Tuesday.
Wednesdayâs pitching matchup between Sean Newcomb and Zack Littell will only further fuel the high-scoring trend in Tampa.
Newcomb and Littell have a combined 0-5 record and each hurler owns an ERA over 4.90.
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Over 9 (-108)
A full weekâs worth of high-scoring games have taken place at Steinbrenner Field during Tampa Bayâs current home stand.
The Raysâ temporary home is one of the more wind-sensitive parks in the majors, and its dimensions are incredibly short in the corners. The left-field foul pole is 318 feet, and the right-field line is 314 feet. The wind on Wednesday is forecasted to blow out to right-center, per Swish Analytics.
Nine of the 14 games at Steinbrenner have had at least seven runs and eight of them have had at least nine runs.
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Thatâs as large of a sample size as youâll get this early in the MLB campaign.
Add in the brutal numbers Newcomb and Littell have recorded and you have the perfect concoction for another over to hit.
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Newcomb conceded at least six hits in each of his three starts. He hasnât let up a home run yet, but 11 runs have been allowed with him on the mound. Only seven of them have been earned runs, but heâs still letting a ton of runners reach base.
Littell couldnât keep the ball in the park in his last outing versus the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed four home runs and seven earned runs in that appearance. Heâs conceded a total of 13 earned runs, 18 hits and five home runs.
Jarren Duran Over 1.5 Total Bases (-105)
Jarren Duran enters Wednesday with a home run and a .333 batting average in nine at-bats versus Littell in his career.
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The Boston leadoff man homered on Tuesday night and reached base safely in seven of his last nine games. He had two or more total bases in four games during that span.
Lefties are hitting .364 against Littell through three starts, a number worth keeping in mind not just for Duran, but for Rafael Devers, Triston Casas and Wilyer Abreu as well.
Given the offensive environment in Tampa, Duran will probably get five shots from the top spot in the lineup. With his history against Littell, itâs easy to see the over cashing in the first few innings.
Yandy Diaz Over 1.5 Total Bases (-105)
A similar logic applies to betting on Yandy Diaz as it does for Duran.
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Diaz enters Wednesday on a five-game hitting streak in which heâs had four games with two or more total bases.
The Rays leadoff man is far better against lefties. He owns a .333 batting average and 1.233 OPS against southpaws in 2024. A year ago, he hit .346 with a .923 OPS versus lefties.
Newcombâs been terrorized by right-handed batters, who have a .395 batting average against him this season.
All of the numbers are perfect for Diaz to continue his hot run at the plate.
"Click into the DraftKings display below for more on this game and the rest of tonight's schedule."
MLB Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt Struck in Head by Batted Ball During Mets vs. Twins
Doric Sam
Apr 16, 2025
A scary moment occurred in the seventh inning of Wednesday afternoon's game between the New York Mets and Minnesota Twins.
First base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was struck in the head by a foul ball hit by Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor, forcing him to leave the game. Per Justin Tasch of the New York Post, Wendelstedt was "down to the ground for several minutes before he got to his feet and was assisted off the field."
Per the Associated Press, Wendelstedt is in his 28th major league season as an umpire. Following his exit, second base umpire Adam Hamari moved to first for the remainder of the game.
The scary scene occurred just a half-inning after Wendelstedt blew a call at first base when he ruled Twins shortstop Willi Castro safe and cost the Mets a run. Replay showed that Castro was out, but New York had already used its challenge earlier in the game, allowing Minnesota to take a 3-0 lead.
However, the Mets scored three runs in the eighth inning to tie things up and force extras.
Pete Alonso RBI double Jesse Winker RBI double Luisangel AcuĂąa RBI single
The Twins managed to end things in the 10th inning on a walk-off RBI single by first baseman Ty France.
The Mets will be back in action on Thursday when they open a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Twins will have a day off before visiting the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
Projecting Team USA's 2026 World Baseball Classic Roster for Captain Aaron Judge
Zachary D. Rymer
Apr 16, 2025
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is less than a year away, and Team USA has already lined up Mark DeRosa to be its manager and Aaron Judge to be its captain. That's a heck of a way to start a team.
Who else should Team USA pursue next year?
We all love an excuse to put a Dream Team together, after all, and the stakes for the 2026 Team USA squad will be high. Whereas the 2023 team was technically the defending World Baseball Classic champions, the 2026 iteration will be out for revenge for Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan.
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The caveat in projecting a 2026 roster this far out is that we largely don't know who's interested in playing, much less who would play for Team USA. To wit, none of us saw Freddie Freeman joining up to play for Canada in 2023.
Judge, though, sounds hopeful that players will flock to Team USA's cause.
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"You have a bunch of guys that compete against each other all year long, and now you bring us all togetherâit's going to be something special," the two-time AL MVP said Monday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We play this game for such a small amount of time, so to get an opportunity like this, I think guys really gravitate toward it."
Good enough for us. So without further dawdling, here are 30 players we'd pick for Team USA's starting lineup, bench, rotation and bullpen. We focused on selecting prime-aged stars but also made special cases for veterans who deserve the honor.
Constructing Perfect Team USA Starting Lineup
SS Bobby Witt Jr. (R)
2B Mookie Betts (R)
LF Kyle Tucker (L)
RF Aaron Judge (R)
1B Bryce Harper (L)
DH Mike Trout (R)
3B Gunnar Henderson (L)
C Adley Rutschman (S)
CF Jackson Merrill (L)
We know Judge is going to be there, and he hopes Trout will return after captaining Team USA to the WBC Final in 2023.
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"He'd better be out there patrolling the outfield with me," Judge said.
Designated hitter sounds like a better spot for Trout, who's already an injury risk and set to turn 34 on August 7. And the three-time AL MVP can still hit, as he's averaged 47 home runs per 162 games even since his health began to deteriorate in 2021.
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Because Trout and Harperâwho couldn't participate in 2023 due to Tommy John surgeryâare overdue to pair up on Team USA, the two-time NL MVP can come, too. He'll be 33 on October 16, but he's still a near-certain bet for a .900 OPS and 30 homers in any given season.
Betts would make it four MVP winners in this lineup, and Tucker may well make it five by the end of 2025. He was already good, but he's turned a corner to something else since the start of last season, posting a 1.003 OPS and 28 homers in 97 games.
Witt vs. Henderson is one of the great debates of our time, as they're basically mirror images of each other in terms of productivity since 2023. But since Henderson can also play third, we thankfully don't need to choose just one to man the left side of Team USA's starting infield.
After dealing with nagging injuries in 2024, Rutschman looks more like himself to the tune of a .807 OPS in 2025. He would stare out at center field and see Merrill, who has 5.1 rWAR and 27 homers to show for 166 games in the majors.
Raleigh arguably deserves to be Team USA's starting catcher, but it would be a privilege to have his Big Dumper on the bench. Platinum Glove-winning catchers with 30-homer power are rare, after all.
For further pop off the bench, DeRosa could turn to Alonso and his 230 career home runs. He played for Team USA in 2023, and Tim Healey of Newsday reported that he wants back on the roster for 2026.
Riley would likewise provide pop off the bench, with the ability to play both third and first in a pinch. Carroll would be the speedster on the pine for DeRosa, though even his .480 slugging percentage understates the threat he poses as a slugger.
Edman, meanwhile, would be a notable name on this list even if he wasn't turning heads with a six-homer start to 2025. There's no position he can't play in the field, except for maybe first base and catcher.
For his part, Campbell is a budding superstar (.972 OPS, 0.8 rWAR in 17 games) who has started games at second base, center field and left field. He'd be a second Swiss Army knife for DeRosa.
Bench Honorable Mentions: Will Smith, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Dansby Swanson, James Wood
Constructing the Perfect Team USA Starting Rotation
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Paul Skenes, RHP
Tarik Skubal, LHP
Hunter Greene, RHP
Zack Wheeler, RHP
Garrett Crochet, LHP
Logan Gilbert, RHP
Logan Webb, RHP
To be clear, this isn't so much a "starting rotation" as a collection of pitchers who could provide bulk innings for DeRosa. The World Baseball Classic does take place during spring training, after all.
Lest anyone think Skenes is overhyped, just remember he's a sensation despite his lowly station with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That his 2.12 ERA is the lowest ever for a live-ball era pitcher through his first 27 starts is likewise a big deal.
Skubal has been on an incredible run since July 4, 2023, posting a 2.52 ERA with 355 strikeouts over 296 innings. Greene has similar helium dating back to last July, with 13 starts yielding a 1.00 ERA with 91 strikeouts and just 35 hits allowed in 80.2 innings.
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Wheeler is going to be 35 on May 30, so it's with some trepidation that we included him. But when a guy is far and away the rWAR leader among pitchers since 2020, they deserve a shot at national heroism.
Crochet has fanned 12.4 batters per nine innings since transitioning from the bullpen to the rotation last spring. And for their parts, each of the Logans can claim to be massively underrated.
Gilbert led the majors in both innings and WHIP last year, which basically makes him a one-man efficiency symposium. Webb has logged a league-high 637 innings since 2022, in the process getting 84 more ground-ball outs than anyone else.
Starting RotationHonorable Mentions: Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Chris Sale, Zac Gallen, Dylan Cease, Aaron Nola, Max Fried
Constructing the Perfect Team USA Bullpen
Closer: Mason Miller, RHP
Setup: Ryan Helsley, RHP
Setup: Tanner Scott, LHP
Middle: Josh Hader, LHP
Middle: Devin Williams, RHP
Middle: Ryan Walker, RHP
Middle: Hunter Gaddis, RHP
Long: Michael King, RHP
What can we say? We like 100 mph fastballs.
Miller and Helsley have those in abundance, with the former even sitting at 100.3 mph with his heater in 2025. Helsley's average is a relatively paltry 98.7 mph, but he's gotten as high as 101.7 mph.
Though each is overqualified for the role, Scott and Hader would be the lefty killers in this pen. Hader has held southpaws to a .484 OPS for his career, while Scott is one of the few pitchers on the planet who can claim to have Ohtani's number. The three-time MVP has faced Scott 10 times and only gotten one hit.
Tanner Scott gets Shohei Ohtani looking! đŽâđ¨
Williams, Walker and Gaddis would be the specialty pitch brigade. Williams' "Airbender" changeup needs no introduction, while Walker and Gaddis have claims to the best sinker and slider in MLB, respectively.
Rounding things out would be King, who was a successful multi-inning fireman for the New York Yankees before he developed into an ace starter for the San Diego Padres. He'd technically be another bulk guy, but one who could also be used in a high-leverage spot in the late innings if need be.
The 2025 ZiPS projections for these guys add up to 105 WAR. If it sounds like a lot, it is. There isn't a single team in MLB organization projected for more than 80 WAR this year, and we're not talking just from its major leaguers. That includes prospects and other minor leaguers, too.
Clearly, this is a 30-man crew that could do damage against any team that crossed its path during the 2026 World Baseball Classic, up to and including Japan.
Bullpen Honorable Mentions: Jeff Hoffman, Kirby Yates, Matt Strahm, David Robertson, Griffin Jax
Aaron Judge Responds to Juan Soto's Comments About Being 'Pitched Differently' on Mets
Scott Polacek
Apr 15, 2025
Aaron Judge still believes in Juan Soto's ability to put up big numbers this season even if the New York Mets star is missing his former teammate hitting behind him in the lineup.
Soto discussed the difference between being on the Mets this year compared to the New York Yankees last year and told Mike Puma of the New York Post, "I had the best hitter in baseball batting behind me. I was getting attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year."
Judge was asked about those comments Tuesday and had nothing but good things to say about Soto.
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"He's got probably one of the best hitters in the game right now with what (Pete) Alonso is doing," Judge said, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "It's been fun to watch. He's hitting close to .400, driving the ball all over the field and driving guys in.
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"They're gonna be just fine. I've watched (Soto) in the league for so many years and getting a chance to see him up closeâhe can look at what I did last April for an example. He just needs to keep being himself. He's going to be just fine."
Judge got off to a slow start last season with just six home runs through April but still finished the year with 58 long balls on his way to the American League MVP.
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Soto is slashing .250/.400/.429 with two home runs and six RBI through 16 games this season. The numbers are solid but unspectacular, which stands in stark contrast to his usual standing as someone with five Silver Sluggers, a batting title and four All-Star Game nods on his resume.
There is something to be said about the protection Judge offered, and Kirschner cited Statcast to note Soto was correct in his assessment.
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He has seen a career-low 43.2 percent of pitches in the strike zone compared to 46.4 in 2024. What's more, he is last in the league in percent of pitches in the heart of the zone when batting with a runner on base:
Juan Soto is seeing a pitch in the heart of the zone with a runner on base just 16 percent of the time, per Baseball Savant.
Among players who have seen at least 100 pitches with a runner on base, Soto's percentage of pitches seen in the heart of the zone ranks as the lowest.
Soto has done nothing but put up excellent numbers throughout his career and will surely adjust to his new surroundings on the Mets as the season progresses. It is also a testament to just how high his standards are that there is discussion about something of a slump to start the year even though he is responsible for 0.8 wins above replacement through just 16 games, per Baseball Reference.
Most importantly, his Mets are 11-5 and in first place in the National League East.
As long as the winning continues, New York will likely be fine with Soto needing some time to adjust and start putting up his typical numbers.
Dodgers Celebrate Jackie Robinson Day 2025 by Wearing Brooklyn Hats
Scott Polacek
Apr 15, 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers are changing their hats in honor of Jackie Robinson Day.
As Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic shared, the National League West team will wear Brooklyn Dodgers hats for Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Robinson played 10 seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers as a franchise and MLB icon who broke the sport's color barrier.
In 2004, MLB established April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day because that was the day he debuted for the Dodgers and broke the league's color barrier in 1947.
Players and managers around the league honor the Hall of Famer by wearing his No. 42 on their jerseys on April 15 every year. There will also be a "42" patch on hats with players wearing shirts that say "Breaking Barriers" during batting practice.
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Teams will also play a Robinson tribute video before games.
The Dodgers and Rockies were joined by Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as they gathered around Robinson's statue in advance of Tuesday's game, per Beth Harris of the Associated Press.
Robinson's grandchildren, Sonya Pankey Robinson and Ayo Robinson were also present.
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"He was so progressive in so many ways,â Pankey Robinson said of her grandfather. "When I think about him fondly, I just think about all of his contributions to society and to us as a family. I feel a real responsibility to uphold his values and I take that job very seriously."
While Robinson is a legend across the sports world, he will always be closely associated with the Dodgers seeing how he played for the franchise before it moved to Los Angeles. He is best known for breaking the color barrier, but he was also a star player between the lines.
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His resume included a World Series title, National League MVP, NL Rookie of the Year, batting title and seven All-Star Game selections. He slashed .311/.409/.474 with 137 home runs, 734 RBI and 197 stolen bases during his time with the Dodgers.
Robinson remains one of the most important people in sports history, and his presence is felt across Major League Baseball to this day. The Dodgers are turning back the clock in a number of ways to honor him, including using their hats as a tribute to his legacy.
Guardians vs. Orioles Betting Odds, Player Props and Picks for April 15
Joe Tansey
Apr 15, 2025
The Cleveland Guardians and Baltimore Orioles both face ideal hitting matchups on Tuesday.
Guardians starter Logan Allen allowed four earned runs in his first road start and can be vulnerable against right-handed bats, of which there are many in Baltimoreâs lineup.
Charlie Morton has been hit well by three opponents in his first three Orioles starts. That trend could continue against a Cleveland offense that is less prone to strikeouts than others.
A pair of offensive outbursts against Allen and Morton could continue an early trend at Camden Yards, where four of five games have had at least nine runs.
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Over 9(-102)
The pitching matchup sets up for a potentially thrilling game at Camden Yards.
Charlie Mortonâs 8.78 ERA stands out more than Logan Allenâs 3.50, but both hurlers are susceptible to giving up crooked numbers.
Allen let up four earned runs in his first road start of the season in San Diego. He also had a 5.20 ERA away from home in 2024.
Allenâs splits against right-handed batters are concerning as well. Righties hit .306 with 18 home runs against him in 2024.
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Baltimoreâs lineup is loaded with home-run hitting righties. Jordan Westburg is leading off, Adley Rutschman bats second and Tyler OâNeill is third. Gary Sanchez is getting the start at catcher, too, and can provide power from the middle of the order.
Morton conceded at least four earned runs in all three of his starts for the Orioles. He let up two home runs in his lone home start, which is a good sign for Jose Ramirez and Co.
The matchups are too juicy to ignore on both sides, so it would be surprising if the Guardians and Orioles struggle to combine for nine runs.
Charlie Morton Under 5.5 Strikeouts(+110)
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Charlie Mortonâs season strikeout total looks impressive, but it is inflated by a 10-punchout showing against the Boston Red Sox, who lead the majors in strikeouts entering Tuesday.
Morton had three and four strikeouts in his other two appearances for the Orioles.
Cleveland ranks 22nd in team strikeouts and Cole Ragans is the only starter to have more than six strikeouts against the Guardians in the last week.
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Mortonâs high walk rate doesnât help either. He issued seven bases on balls in the last two starts, including five over five innings in his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The majority of Clevelandâs high-strikeout batters reside in the back half of the order, but they could be less susceptible to strikeouts for a few reasons.
Carlos Santana has a great history against Morton, Gabriel Arias had a pair of multi-hit games against the Royals and Kyle Manzardo has been Clevelandâs most patient hitter in the early season. They are three of the five Guardians hitters with 10+ strikeouts.
Carlos Santana Over 0.5 Hits(-135)
Santana has the best batter-versus-pitcher history in Tuesdayâs game.
The veteran first baseman owns a .364 batting average in 11 career at-bats against Morton. He has two home runs and three RBIs versus Morton as well.
Santana recorded a hit in four of his last six games and he should receive more pitches to hit from his spot directly behind Jose Ramirez in the Guardians order.
Heâs been better on the road as well in the young season with a .265 batting average and three multi-hit games away from Progressive Field.
Click into the DraftKings display below for more on this game and the rest of tonight's schedule.
Mets' Juan Soto Says He's Been 'Pitched Differently' Not Having Aaron Judge Behind Him
Paul Kasabian
Apr 15, 2025
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto told Mike Puma of the New York Post that he was "pitched differently last year," when he was with the New York Yankees and had two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge hitting behind him.
âItâs definitely different,â Soto said. âI had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me. I was getting more attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.â
Last offseason, Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, ending his Yankees tenure after just one year. He amassed 41 home runs, 109 RBI and an MLB-high 128 runs in 2024 to go along with a .288 batting average (.989 OPS) and a third-place finish in the AL MVP race.
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Soto is off to a slower start this year, but the season is just 16 games old. Thus far, the 26-year-old has two homers and six RBI alongside a .250 batting average and .829 OPS.
Soto may not have Judge hitting behind him now, but he does have Pete Alonso, the 30-year-old first baseman who is off to a tremendous start in 2025. Alonso has four homers, 19 RBI and a .345 batting average (National League-leading 1.136 OPS). He's carrying an offense that's hitting just .214 with a .667 OPS.
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To Soto's point, he hasn't seen a lot to hit at times, walking in 14 of his 70 plate appearances (20 percent overall).
But Soto is also capable of far better. He sports a .951 career OPS and .284 batting average with a 162-game average of 35 home runs and 102 RBI.
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Perhaps Monday evening will get him back in the groove. After amassing just one hit in his previous four games, Soto smacked a two-run homer in a 5-1 road victory over the Minnesota Twins. It was his first home run since the second game of the season on March 28.
Regardless of Soto's early-season results, the Mets are 11-5 good enough for first in the NL East. They'll look to continue their good season on Tuesday with the second of a three-game road series against Minnesota.
Nolan Arenado Talks Astros Trade Veto, Says Kyle Tucker Deal Made Him 'Uncomfortable'
Andrew Peters
Apr 15, 2025
Nolan Arenado could have suited up for a new team this season, but the St. Louis Cardinals' third baseman vetoed a potential trade to the Houston Astros.
Ahead of the Cardinals' series against the Astros this week, Arenado opened up about the trade, saying Houston's approach to the offseason made him "uncomfortable" after the team traded Kyle Tucker.
âI think a lot of fans think I just said ânoâ because I think theyâre bad, which is obviously false and not true,â Arenado said, per The Athletic's Chandler Rome. âFor me to get my family to leave St. Louis at that point in the offseason, with how everything transpired with the trades and all that, it made me a little uncomfortable.â
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Arenado said his decision to veto that Astros trade also had to do with the timing of things. Houston wanted an answer quickly, but Arenado wanted to see how things played out before he OK'd the move.
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âI respect the Astros because they canât just wait for me to make my decision,â Arenado said. âThey have to move on and they have to make their team better, which they did. They got (Christian) Walker and they did some other things. I can see how it was taken as âno,â but they know I didnât say âno.â It was more of, âI need to see how this all plays out first.ââ
Arenado will be 34 later this week and likely preferred to be traded to a team that can win now rather than a rebuilding squad like the Cardinals. Ultimately, he felt packing it up and moving to Houston wouldn't have been the best decision at this point in his career.
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What's next for Arenado remains to be seen. He's under contract with St. Louis through the 2027 season, but with the Cardinals committing to a young roster, they could try to move him soon after failing to do so this offseason.
For now, Arenado will look to continue playing his best baseball and serving as a veteran presence on a young team. Through 15 games this year, Arenado has a pair of home runs and nine RBI with a .316 batting average.
