Jul 23, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado Buzz Isn’t Anything Like Last Offseason

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Nov 30, 2025 1:08 PM ET

It's been a whirlwind of a year for the St. Louis Cardinals and third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Last offseason, rumors began to circulate about Arenado and his role with the organization. St. Louis was open about the fact that it wanted to trade the veteran third baseman, but he had a reported five-team approved trade list with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the Houston Astros.

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It's been a long year for Nolan Arenado

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Arenado stuck around with St. Louis and seemingly was only open to the idea of joining one of the very top contenders in baseball. Now, a year later the vibe has shifted. Arenado reportedly is more open to waiving his no-trade clause and now he is being linked to more teams, including non-contenders. For example, MLB Network's Steve Phillips pitched the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels as fits for Arenado.

"I mean, you think about it. The one deal they had in place with the Astros, he rejected that deal," Phillips said. "And then there wasn't another opportunity anywhere else and his 2025 season was the worst of his career. So, if there were limited teams last year, you would suspect it to be more limited this year. I think that's probably going to be the case...

"I think for Arenado, it's going to have to be the right fit. It's probably not going to be a team with a win-now opportunity. I can see the Los Angeles Angels...I could see the Pirates maybe saying, 'Look we need to spend some money, we'll take the Arenado money and put a veteran in to help our young players grow.'"

Arenado is an eight-time All-Star and is considered to be one of the top overall third basemen in recent memory. The fact that his market has fallen so far is brutal. Whatever happens next, hopefully he is able to bounce back wherever he's playing in 2026.

Last offseason, Arenado was linked consistently to teams like the Yankees or Dodgers and now it's non-contenders getting tossed around.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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