Nolan Arenado Trade Rumors: Red Sox, Cardinals Re-Engaged in Talks amid Bregman Buzz
The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox have reportedly re-engaged in trade talks regarding third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Per the Boston Globe's Alex Speier, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow indicated that Boston is still "hopeful" about adding a right-handed hitter to the lineup. According to Speier, the Red Sox and Cardinals' talks about Arenado "remain alive."
According to MLB.com's John Denton, the Red Sox's first choice would be to sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, but the team is "in a bidding war with at least two other teams" right now.
Should Boston miss out on Bregman, it appears the Red Sox would shift their focus completely to Arenado.
Speier noted that the remaining balance on Arenado's contract is at the forefront of conversations between the two sides. Arenado has $64 million remaining on his deal. In trade talks earlier this offseason, St. Louis wouldn't pay "as much as $20 million" toward Arenado's contract, per Denton.
Following an 83-79 finish that saw the Cardinals miss the postseason for a second straight year, the team announced a "reset" that will focus on building for the future rather than trying to compete now.
Part of that reset meant parting ways with veterans. Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Kittredge already departed in free agency, and it seems St. Louis would prefer to move on from Arenado before the season starts.
Given that they are working toward a rebuild, the Cardinals would presumably want prospects from the Red Sox in a potential trade. According to Denton, one such prospect St. Louis is interested in is first baseman Blaze Jordan, the No. 22 prospect in Boston's farm system.
Along with prospects, the Cardinals would likely prefer to not have to pay much of the balance remaining on Arenado's contract.
Arenado, who spent eight years with the Colorado Rockies and has been with the Cardinals since 2021, had 16 home runs and 71 RBI last season, recording a .272 batting average.
The 10-time Gold Glove Award winner might be past his prime but could be a valuable addition to the Red Sox's infield as they look to field a competitive team this spring.
