St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Why trading Nolan Arenado would be good for Cardinals

By Curt Bishop | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 10:26 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are about to enter a rebuild, as Chaim Bloom is set to take over for John Mozeliak as president of baseball operations at the end of the 2025 season.

Before their series opener against the playoff-hopeful Cincinnati Reds on Monday, the Cardinals activated third baseman Nolan Arenado from the injured list. He had been out since Aug. 1 with a right shoulder strain.

In his first game back, Arenado had two hits and an RBI as St. Louis fell 11-6 to the Reds. However, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat provided an intriguing update on the eight-time All-Star, who revealed that he expects an offseason full of trade rumors leading into 2026.

Nolan Arenado says he has considered the possibility that this might be his last homestand as a Cardinal, and that he anticipates a similar coming winter in terms of trade discussions as last winter.
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) September 15, 2025

The Cardinals tried to trade Arenado multiple times last offseason. They even had a deal lined up with the Houston Astros that Arenado shot down with his no-trade clause.

St. Louis held onto him after the Boston Red Sox signed 3B Alex Bregman and pulled out of the sweepstakes. They had preliminary discussions about a potential trade before Bregman was signed.

The 10-time Gold Glove Award winner has a limited list of teams he will accept a trade to, and that could come into play this coming offseason, depending on who shows interest.

Arenado's contract certainly plays a role here. The Cardinals weren't willing to eat more than $5 million. He will make $16 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027. His deal was the main reason St. Louis wanted to trade him last winter and will likely be a deciding factor in them shopping him this winter.

Why a Nolan Arenado trade is good for the Cardinals

Ultimately, it would likely be best for the Cardinals to trade Arenado. They can partially get out from under his contract and shed some salary.

Beyond that, St. Louis is trying to give consistent reps to younger players and focus on the future. If the 34-year-old Arenado is traded, then the Cardinals can clear the starting third base job for either 25-year-old Nolan Gorman or 23-year-old Thomas Saggese.

Top prospect J.J. Wetherholt would also have a more direct path to the majors. He surged all the way to Triple-A Memphis in 2025 and is right on the cusp of his MLB debut.

However, how many teams will inquire about Arenado? He has struggled at the plate this season, slashing .238/.296/.370 with 10 home runs, 44 RBI and a .666 OPS. But if the Cardinals can trade him, they can focus solely on their youth movement in 2026.

Curt Bishop

Curt Bishop is a freelance sportswriter who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of communication. Curt primarily covers Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.

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