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The Chicago Cubs have signed former Boston Red Sox star Alex Bregman.
The Boston Red Sox must now replace the infield production of third baseman Alex Bregman, who has officially walked out the door and has landed with the Chicago Cubs on a five-year, $175 million contract. A huge blow for the Red Sox, who have yet to make a free agent signing this offseason.
However, the sky isn’t totally falling, and there are still six weeks remaining in MLB’s hot stove season for Craig Breslow to restore the faith among the fan base, which is a little tarnished after recent moves. Despite the lack of action in the free agent market, the Red Sox have linked with the St. Louis Cardinals for two impactful trades, as former Boston executive Chaim Bloom is now running things in the Cardinals organization. Could third baseman Nolan Arenado be traded soon? And should the Red Sox be his top suitor?
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Red Sox-Cardinals Trade Idea Lands Nolan Arenado
There have been rumors of Nolan Arenado being traded for basically the entirety of 2025. The Cardinals’ front office is expected to be working out a deal to send him where he wants, and Boston seems like the perfect destination. The Red Sox and Cardinals have already linked up for two big trades this offseason. First, the Red Sox acquired starter Sonny Gray, and then first baseman Willson Contreras landed in Boston.
GettyThe Chicago Cubs have signed former Boston Red Sox star Alex Bregman.
In this trade idea, the Red Sox acquire eight-time All-Star infielder Nolan Arenado in exchange for pitchers Connelly Early, Jordan Hicks, and a prospect, Justin Gonzales.
One thing the Red Sox have going for them at the moment is having a plethora of starting pitchers, which they can use to their advantage as trade bait.
Nolan Arenado had a down 2025 season, but it seemed that he wanted out of St. Louis the whole season, and a move to Boston could cap off his Hall of Fame career. Arenado is a career .282 hitter with 353 home runs, 1184 RBIs, and 405 doubles. He is regarded as the best player in the Colorado Rockies franchise.
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Nolan Arenado’s Fit with Red Sox
Nolan Arenado’s fit with the Red Sox is pretty simple; he slots is as the everyday third baseman now that Alex Bregman is no longer with the team. Playing at Fenway Park should absolutely benefit Arenado’s production, and while Boston has other internal infield options like Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell, those young stars might not be totally ready yet to play every day in MLB.
It’s important to note that Nolan Arenado comes with a $275 million contract, which has just two seasons remaining on it. This is the main reason the Cardinals have been wanting to offload him.
This speculative trade idea really does make sense for both sides, and if the Cardinals are headed for a two or three-year rebuild, now is the perfect time to acquire a couple top prospects in return for an aging Nolan Arenado.  The Red Sox feel desperate for a star at this moment, which leaves Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, in a great spot.
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