Cardinals rumors: St. Louis could release Nolan Arenado if trade market doesn’t pick up appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As the St. Louis Cardinals begin their rebuild under president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, Nolan Arenado has perpetually been on the trade block. However, talks aren’t moving how the Cardinals have hoped.
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St. Louis is still going to try and find the best trade possible for Arenado. However, there is also a possibility the Cardinals are forced to release him if the interest isn’t there, via Buster Olney of ESPN.
“Other teams believe Brandon Donovan is going to be dealt by the St. Louis Cardinals — and it’ll be really interesting to see if St. Louis eventually just opts to release Nolan Arenado, given the decline in his performance the past couple of years, the saturation of the corner-infield market and the fact that the Cards are in a rebuild mode,” Olney wrote.
Arenado is set to count $31 million towards the payroll over the next two seasons before hitting free agency. Teams may be unwilling to foot that large of bill. The Cardinals could of course offer to pay some of that contract down, but they may require better prospects in return.
Based on Arenado’s recent play, that’s when another snag is hit. Over 107 games in 2025, the third baseman hit .237 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs. Franchises could be worried about a continued regression.
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If the Cardinals were to release Arenado, those worries would be alleviated slightly as his new franchise will have a different contract in place. But if Arenado is to be traded, it seems there are still some parameters in place. As the offseason rages on, the longer the eight-time All-Star isn’t dealt, the more St. Louis is pressed into making a crucial decision.
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