Cardinals $87M Star Notably Absent From Trade Rumors

The St. Louis Cardinals certainly will have guys on the way out of town this offseason, but what about the guys who could stay?

St. Louis veterans Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray are the two headline-grabbers. On top of these two, Brendan Donovan has been the other hot name out there for the Cardinals, among others. Rumors galore have surfaced all offseason to this point, pointing to potential breakups. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch weighed in on all of the noise after the general manager meetings and mentioned Arenado, Gray, Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, and JoJo Romero among players the team has been listening on.

"(Chaim Bloom), the Cardinals’ new president of baseball operations, and the team’s three assistant general managers attended the annual General Manager Meetings this past week in Las Vegas, and during conversations with agents and other teams made it clear of their intentions to pursue trades," Goold said. "They are all ears. Offers welcome. The Cardinals let agents know that their interest this winter in some free agents will hinge on moving salary in trades, per multiple sources.

"They told rival teams they’re shopping for pitching, looking toward the future, and willing to listen on players like Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, and JoJo Romero — three players all within two years of free agency. They are also actively seeking trade “fits” for Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray."

Goold is one of the top overall insiders there is when it comes to the Cardinals. So, if he's going to mention Arenado, Gray, Donovan, Nootbaar, and Romero, that should have St. Louis fans' attention. But, what should also have fans' attention is the fact that Willson Contreras' name wasn't mentioned.

He signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Cardinals that has two seasons left before a club option in 2028 worth $17.5 million. This is notable because if the Cardinals are intent on offloading money off the books, this would be a way to do so. He's a three-time All-Star and one of the better right-handed hitters in the National League. At just 33 years old, you'd think the club would have an easier time finding a suitor for him than Gray and Arenado. But, that isn't the case.

Contreras -- like Arenado and Gray -- has a no-trade clause. He has been outspoken about the idea of staying with the organization. Back in September, he continued to make this point and said he wants to be a "part of the process," but it was shared at the time that he would be willing to listen if an opportunity made sense for him as well. Although, remaining with the Cardinals has been his preference all along.

The rumors are swirling around St. Louis right now, but Contreras' name hasn't been out there pretty much at all. Things can change in an instant, but right now it doesn't seem like there will be a deal involving him getting done this offseason. But, again, things can change and do change quickly in baseball.