The St. Louis Cardinals are headed for a big rebuild this offseason, and they’ve already gotten off to a fast start. The Cardinals opted to trade Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox early in the winter, and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to be done there.
Nolan Arenado is the next obvious trade candidate for the Cardinals. He’s signed to a massive contract with a no-trade clause, so it could be difficult to move him. Still, the Cardinals should explore all their options in free agency.
Patrick McAvoy of St. Louis Cardinals OnSi recently predicted the Cardinals would trade Arenado to the Los Angeles Angels this offseason.
“Now, reports have surfaced indicating that Los Angeles is in talks about buying out infielder Anthony Rendon’s deal. Los Angeles clearly had interest in Arenado in the past and now could use a third baseman,” McAvoy wrote. “It doesn’t hurt that Arenado is from the area as well. If the Cardinals and Arenado both want to get a trade done, this is a team that could give them a shot.”
The Angels have seemingly been one of the top fits for Arenado for the last year, but a deal hasn’t come to fruition.
At this point, the Cardinals might be willing to eat a large chunk of his remaining contract to get him moved off the roster. This would open the door for the Angels to add the veteran for a small prospect package. Considering the fact that Los Angeles is still trying to contend, this idea makes sense for both sides.
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