Nolan Arenado Rumors: Cardinals Star More Likely to Be Traded Than Remain in STL

Nolan Arenado could be moving on this winter after four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

According to The Athletic's Katie Woo, multiple sources around the MLB believe the 33-year-old is more likely to be traded by the Cardinals than remain with the team for the 2025 season.

Arenado has a no-trade clause and three years remaining on his current contract. A Cardinals team source told Woo that he would only waive the clause for a contending team.

The eight-time All-Star is looking for more production in 2025 after batting .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI last season.

That marked his lowest home run total through a full season since his 2014 campaign with the Rockies.

But Arenado expressed confidence he would be able to increase his production in 2025 as he continues to recover from the back injury that cut short his 2023 season.

"I played over 150 games, I didn't have the back issues I did last year and there's no doubt my body can hold up," he told MLB.com's John Denton about his 2024 campaign in September.

He added that his plan this offseason is to "get back in the gym" and work on his explosiveness.

According to Woo, Arenado is also willing to switch to first base or "at least" spend less time at third base in order to appeal to contenders.

That infield flexibility could make him a more appealing trade option, as could his contributions on defense. After not being named a Gold Glove Awards finalist in 2023 for the first time in 11 seasons, he made it back on the list in 2024.

Trading Arenado would help the Cardinals achieve their likely goal this winter of clearing out salary to bring young talent to the roster, but there is still the possibility St. Louis would have to take on part of his deal in order to move him.

Although the Colorado Rockies are still paying some of Arenado's salary as part of the terms of his 2021 trade to the Cardinals, Woo reported that he has three seasons and $74 million remaining on his current contract.