Nolan Arenado Rumors Intensify; Chances Of Cardinals Blockbuster

The St. Louis Cardinals could be days away from trading a franchise cornerstone away.

Recently, it has seemed unlikely that Nolan Arenado would be traded this summer thanks in large part to his no-trade clause and the club’s early success this season. But, now things have changed. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand shared that a deal is possible now and mentioned a handful of teams with interest at third base, including the Chicago Cubs.

"The Yankees jumped the market with their trade for Ryan McMahon, but Suárez remains the crown jewel of this Trade Deadline, with the Cubs, Mariners, Tigers, Brewers, Reds, Astros and Phillies all interested in the slugger to varying degrees. But another third baseman could fill one of those holes, as sources said Nolan Arenado – who was at the center of multiple trade talks during the offseason – could be moved by Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline," Feinsand said. "The Cardinals will have to get approval from Arenado, who possesses a full no-trade clause and can veto any trade – which he did in December after the Cardinals and Astros had agreed to a trade to send the eight-time All-Star to Houston...

"Arenado has two years and $42 million remaining on his contract beyond this season, earning $27 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027. Next season’s salary includes $6 million in deferred money, plus $5 million that will be paid by the Rockies as part of the 2021 trade that sent him to St. Louis. The Cardinals would likely have to pay down part of Arenado’s contract in order to move him, but St. Louis’ desire to open a spot for some of its young infielders might prompt them to do that."

Could we be in the final week with Arenado as a member of the Cardinals?