Why this potential Nolan Arenado move makes little sense

It's one thing for the St. Louis Cardinals to talk about the possibility of trading Nolan Arenado as the franchise continues to reshape itself. It's completely another to think about one of the greatest third basemen in Major League Baseball history moving across the diamond and manning first base instead.

Yes, both scenarios are apparently in play for St. Louis and Arenado, per reporting from The Athletic. Arenado is reportedly not only open to waiving his no-trade clause (if the Cardinals can find the right partner in a team that would help Arenado finally earn a World Series ring), but also reportedly moving to first base if that was what was needed to make all of the pieces fall into place.

It is a stunning shift from the mindset that sent Arenado to St. Louis from the Colorado Rockies in the winter before the 2021 season. Wanting to play for a winner, Arenado was dealt to the Cardinals. However, the marriage hasn't been what either he or the franchise have envisioned, as St. Louis has appeared in just two wild-card matchups during his four seasons with the Cardinals, and the team lost both of those, with Arenado going a combined 1-for-12 in the process.

Perspectives and circumstances obviously change, but one thing that has not is Arenado's commitment to playing for a consistent winner. It was one of the biggest reasons why he wanted out of Colorado and looked for greener pastures under the Gateway Arch. It's now possibly driving some of the conversations being had by the Cardinals this offseason as they try to move him and a contract where he is still owed $74M over the next three seasons.

However, Arenado playing for another franchise isn't the head-scratcher of this whole situation. It's actually picturing a generational third baseman no longer manning the hot corner. Mike Schmidt and Brooks Robinson, two Hall of Fame third basemen who are often compared to Arenado, rarely moved off third base during their careers because they were so good at what they did there. In a combined 5,299 games during their careers, Schmidt and Robinson played third base in 5,082 of them, winning a combined 26 Gold Gloves at the position.

Turning 34 on April 16, it's clear that Arenado is moving into the latter stages of his career. However, with 10 Gold Gloves and six Platinum Gloves on his mantle, it's also clear that Arenado has been one of the best third basemen to ever grace the game. He still has the talent and range to play there, as evidenced by his Gold Glove nomination in 2024. Some of the worries about his play at third base in 2023 dissolved with a bounce-back defensive performance last season.

Moving Arenado to first base before it becomes a necessity is akin to moving the Mona Lisa to a gallery on a side street in Paris. Sure, it's still visible, but it's not where it should be.

What Arenado has done at third base during the course of his 12-year MLB career has truly been a work of art, and metrics show it isn't time for Arenado to put away the paint brush just yet. While Arenado wanting to do what he can to win a championship is understandable, robbing fans of watching him continue to build on a Hall of Fame resume at third base by moving to another position would be a shame.