Cardinals Have Made Trade Decision On Nolan Arenado Amid Mixed Reports

The St. Louis Cardinals boast some of the top assets on the market at the upcoming Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, though the extent of their fire sale has been somewhat unknown.

For weeks it was understood that the Cardinals wanted to keep their core together and focus on trading impending free agents along with a select few others who did not factor into the long-term outlook of the organization.

All of a sudden, superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado took headlines as a possible trade candidate, specifically in a potential blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

We now know that the infamous discussion was ignited by the intrigue of a deal involving Jordan Montgomery or Jack Flaherty. Then, Los Angeles told St. Louis they would need to include Arenado in the deal to meet the Cardinals asking price -- which involved many highly-regarded top pitching prospects. After mulling it over, a decision has been made.

“I have stated we are not trading him, have not asked him to waive his no-trade clause,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told St. Louis Post-Dispatches' Derrick Goold on Wednesday. “So at this time, we are working on building for future success.”

Arenado has shown no signs of slowing down, hitting .282 with 44 extra-base hits including 22 home runs, 77 RBIs and a .844 OPS in 101 games this season.

The 32-year-old is signed through 2027 and expected to be at the forefront of the Cardinals' plans as they attempt to retool and compete next season and beyond.

The clear statement should provide relief to the Cardinals fanbase, as the loss of Arenado would be significant.

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