St. Louis Cardinals infielder Nolan Arenado was one of the most sought-after players on the trade market during the offseason. However, due to his hefty contract and a full no-trade clause, Arenado wasn’t moved. With a significant amount of money left on his deal, it made a trade more complicated for St. Louis. Nevertheless, Arenado remains a valuable trade chip.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller recently included him in the list of top trade assets for this season, pointing out that he was nearly traded multiple times during the offseason.
“Arenado is the big one,” Miller wrote. “The 10-time Gold Glove winner, eight-time All-Star, six-time Platinum Glove recipient, and five-time Silver Slugger third baseman is owed $21 million this season, $16 million in 2026, and $15 million in 2027.
Despite turning 34 later this month, Arenado is still showing signs of strong performance, starting the season on a six-game hitting streak with a 1.109 OPS.” While no one expects him to maintain such a hot start, if he can recover even slightly from what was nearly a career-worst 2024 season, his trade value could rise significantly.
Given his strong start to the season, Arenado’s trade value is likely to increase, with teams like the New York Yankees or Detroit Tigers potentially showing interest. However, reports indicate that Arenado hasn’t waived his no-trade clause for these teams. On the other hand, teams he has reportedly cleared for a potential trade, such as the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers, may make sense if the Cardinals are willing to cover more of his contract.
