Nolan Arenado agreed to waive his no-trade clause and be dealt from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Arizona Diamondbacks. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
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After much talk last season, Nolan Arenado finally waived his no-trade clause and agreed to a deal that will send him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in return for right-handed pitching prospect Jack Martinez. To help facilitate the deal, St. Louis is sending $31 million to Arizona to cover the final $42 million due the third baseman over the final two years of the contract that he originally signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2019.
That deal, for eight years and $260 million, bought out some arbitration years and guaranteed the third baseman an average annual salary of $32.5 million. After the Covid-shortened 2020 season, the Rockies did an about-face, an unloaded Arenado and his massive contract to the Cardinals. As part of that transaction, the St. Louis agreed to add an additional year at $15 million to the deal, while Arenado agreed to defer $50 million, which will be paid through 2041. Colorado wanted out of the obligation so badly that they agreed to send about $50 million to help offset the cost to the Cardinals.
In fact, the Rockies remain on the hook for $11 million of Arenado’s salary over the final two years of the contract, so the third baseman will effectively (if not actually) be paid by three different organizations.
Life In St. Louis
Arenado’s first year in the Show-Me State was solid, and his second year was even better, as he finished third in MVP voting after slashing .293/.358/.533 for a 151 OPS+. But, since 2022, the numbers have fallen drastically. Over the past three seasons, Arenado slashed .261/.312/.413, for an OPS+ of 101, which does not befit a $32 million contract. Last year he played only 107 games and hit just 12 home runs.
In late 2024, Arenado invoked his no-trade clause to refuse a deal that would have sent him to the Houston Astros. Among the rumors flying around this Hot Stove season were that the Southern California native was open to a move, with the Red Sox often mentioned in the discussions. And when Boston lost out on Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs, that concept become even more of a possibility. All of that changed on Tuesday morning, when multiple sources reported the trade to Arizona.
Arenado will fill the hole at third base left when the Diamondbacks sent Eugenio Suárez to the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline last season, which was a reversal of the deal that sent Suárez to Arizona from Seattle back in 2023. Blaze Alexander now likely moves from third base to left field for the Snakes, while Jordan Lawlar will continue to have to prove himself to garner playing time in what is now a complete infield in the desert.
Jack Martinez
The Diamondbacks selected right-hander Jack Martinez in the eighth round of the 2025 draft out of Arizona State, and paid him a signing bonus of slightly more $167,000. While that sum may seem paltry compared to the eight figures first rounders get, according to FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, that is “a meaningful bonus for a senior sign, indicating that Arizona thought he was among that demographic’s best prospects.” However, Martinez did not pitch in affiliate ball after the draft, so it is nearly impossible to project what the Cardinals got in return for Arenado and $31 million.
Just six months ago right-hander Jack Martinez signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks; now he is headed to St. Louis in return for potential future Hall of Famer, Nolan Arenado. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Arizona Diamondbacks/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesArenado’s Future
While Arenado’s ticket to Cooperstown has not yet been punched, his 10 Gold Gloves (six Platinum Gloves, awarded to the best defensive player at any position), eight All-Star selections, five Silver Slugger awards, four top-five MVP finishes, 353 home runs, and arguably best-in-a-generation status, will most likely have him inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame some time after he ultimately retires. For now, it seems that his swan song will happen in Phoenix, which is the closest Arenado has ever played to his hometown of Lake Forest, California. Does he have anything left in the tank as he enters his 14th season? Both FanGraphs’ Steamer projection system and Baseball Reference’s 2026 projection algorithm anticipate that he will have about 500 plate appearances, be in the mid-teens in homers, with about a .700 OPS. If he manages that level of production, it will more than justify the $11 million that Arizona committed to him, and it would make this a BOGO deal (buy one season, get one season free). Mike Hazen, Arizona’s president of baseball operations, may have played this one perfectly.