Nolan Arenado Trade Rumors: Dodgers Haven't Considered Pursuing Cardinals Star

St. Louis Cardinals may need to look elsewhere than the Los Angeles Dodgers in order to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado.

According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, sources around the Dodgers say "a deal for Arenado is not a possibility the organization has considered."

The news comes after Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes told reporters Max Muncy would start at third base on Opening Day, per David Vassegh of AM 570.

Arenado has a full no-trade clause, but his agent Joel Wolfe told USA Today's Bob Nightengale on Tuesday that the list of teams he would be willing to consider is "bigger than you would think."

Wolfe has been granted permission by the Cardinals to "speak directly to teams to help facilitate a trade," per Nightengale.

Wolfe's comment to Nightengale counters an earlier report from ESPN's Buster Olney, who wrote on Saturday that the Cardinals were considering trade possibilities from "a very limited list of Nolan Arenado's preferred teams."

The Dodgers were previously linked to Arenado, a Newport Beach native, ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. At the time, Wolfe said reports that Arenado would only waive his no-trade clause to go to Los Angeles were "inaccurate," per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three seasons, with $10 million to be paid for by the Colorado Rockies as per the terms of his 2021 trade to the Cardinals.

The Dodgers, and the deep pockets afforded by the team's more than $1 billion in deferred money, could theoretically afford to pick up that price tag. The Athletic's Katie Woo also reported that Arenado will only accept a trade to a team "set up to contend for multiple seasons," making the reigning World Series champions a theoretical match.

But if the Dodgers are set on Muncy at third, trading for Arenado wouldn't make sense for Los Angeles. His apparent willingness to move to first base with a new team, as reported by Woo, won't help him slide into an infield already staffed by Freddie Freeman.

With the Dodgers potentially out of the picture, the Cardinals will have to look elsewhere to find a team in need of an infielder. One option could be the New York Yankees, who have money to burn after losing out on star outfielder Juan Soto, and could slide Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second if they acquire a third baseman. They could be a potential fit if Aaron Boone is interested and Arenado is willing to waive his no-trade clause and head to the Bronx.