The St. Louis Cardinals are set to begin work on a very crucial offseason. This winter will likely include several trades of key pieces.
The goal for St. Louis is to rebuild rather than contend, and while they should be more active than last offseason, fans shouldn’t expect any blockbuster moves.
And before anything can be done in free agency, the Cardinals must make trades to clear salary, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado are their high-priced players, and Goold confirmed that trading both players is at the top of Bloom’s to-do list.
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Cardinals Must Trade High-Priced Veterans As Soon As Possible
Sep 21, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) salutes the fans after he was ceremonially removed before the start of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
“The Cardinals were telling agents in meetings that they had interest in free agents and that they do plan on going shopping — but need to make some trades to clear salary first. Bloom has said that he would prefer to give Arenado and Gray clarity as quickly as possible, for the team and for the veterans. He also thinks that’s a courtesy and the best chance all parties have for resolution and deals that the players will accept,” Goold wrote.
The free agent market might move slowly this winter, as it has the past two years, so that would seemingly give Bloom plenty of time to find suitors for Gray and Arenado. But right now, that appears to be the highest priority: finding new teams for the high-priced veterans.
The Cardinals will have to eat a chunk of the remaining money on both players’ contracts. They weren’t willing to do that last offseason, but if they do this winter, then it should be easier for Bloom to trade both veterans and get it done relatively early in the offseason while the free agent market continues to develop.
Once they have cleared some of the money from Gray and Arenado, they should be in the clear to add a free agent or two. It just won’t be a high-dollar free agent, as they aren’t looking to do anything flashy with their potential additions.
So, it will be interesting to see when Bloom finally does trade Gray and Arenado. The chances of either player staying in St. Louis next year are incredibly slim, so fans should prepare to say goodbye.
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