ESPN MLB Insider Suggests St. Louis Cardinals Could Still Make Big Trade This Spring

Writing for ESPN.com on Thursday, veteran writer Jesse Rogers suggested that the Cardinals could still be open for business this spring. Perhaps it's Nolan Arenado on the move, or could it be Ryan Helsley or Sonny Gray?

St. Louis Cardinals third base Nolan Arenado (28) laughs as he heads off to a workout station at spring training in 2025. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Writing for ESPN.com on Thursday, ESPN MLB Insider Jesse Rogers suggested that the St. Louis Cardinals are the team most likely to swing a big trade this spring.

With spring training already started, most teams are done with their offseason buying and selling, but Rogers thinks the Cardinals could pull the trigger on a big deal as part of their step-back season and payroll reset.

St. Louis is my favorite to make a spring trade. Perhaps it's Nolan Arenado. Or maybe closer Ryan Helsley is on the move. Or starter Sonny Gray. There are myriad options as the Cardinals look to maximize the talent on their roster. That could come soon or in July -- or both.

MLB spring training intel: Players with most at stake, key position battles and who could still get tradedhttps://t.co/UH020ja4Uo

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 20, 2025

We've heard all three of these players come up in trade conversations this winter, with Arenado being the most prevalent. In fact, the Cardinals had a deal in place to send him to the Houston Astros, but he used his no-trade clause to veto the deal.

Arenado, 33, has three years and $74 million left on his deal, though the Colorado Rockies are paying $10 million of that.

Arenado spent the first eight years of his big-league career in Colorado, becoming one of the best players in Rockies history. As a member of the Rox, he made five All-Star teams and won a Gold Glove Award in all eight seasons. He popped 235 homers with the Rockies, hitting a career-high 42 back in 2015. He led the National League in home runs three times.

Unfortunately, the Rockies traded him to the Cardinals in February of 2021 for a package of players that included left-handed pitcher Austin Gomber.

Arenado helped the Rockies get to the playoffs in both 2017 and 2018, and then got there again with St. Louis in 2021 and 2022.

He's now spent four years with the Cardinals, showing signs of decline over the last year. In 2024, he hit .272 but had just 16 homers and 71 RBI. Those were his lowest outputs in each category since the first two years of his career (excluding the shortened 2020 COVID season).

Helsley had 49 saves last season, posting a 2.04 ERA and going 7-4. He struck out 79 batters in 66.1 innings for the Cardinals, who finished tied for second in the National League Central. He's set to be a free agent after hte season ends.

Gray went 13-9 last season with a 3.84 ERA. Now 35 years old, Gray finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2023. He's pitched for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Reds, Twins and Cardinals.

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