Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals $260M Star Could Surprise By Staying In St. Louis

Could the St. Louis Cardinals surprise and keep the All-Star?
Patrick McAvoy|
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals will certainly explore changes this offseason, but who actually could be on the way out of town?

The big name to watch is Nolan Arenado. That much is clear and has been over the last year. It’s going to continue to be the case until there is a clear direction from the team. That won't come until the offseason when Chaim Bloom takes over as the president of baseball operations. Shortly after the season ends and he officially takes over, then we should hear from him and get some sort of answer about the direction of the team. Last year, they talked about a "reset." But, what about this year?

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talked about the decision and acknowledged there’s a chance that he could stick around after all, despite the already growing speculation, depending on how the trade market shapes up.

Will Nolan Arenado return in 2026?

St. Louis Cardinals third base Nolan Arenado
Jul 18, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third base Nolan Arenado (28) looks on in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

"(Willson Contreras) has already said his preference is to stay," Goold said. "Could that change? Sure. But that's where he stands right now. The Cardinals will explore trades for (Sonny Gray) and Arenado. That will be Chaim Bloom's decision now -- and then the players. Gray is going to command some offers, and if Atlanta or San Francisco make compelling cases, there are at least ties there for Gray to consider.

"Arenado's list is limited. And he's been candid about how he has to play better to be more appealing to teams. Can that happen in the next few weeks, or will the Cardinals cover enough of his salary for a team to make that move? Those are real questions. And in the end, it's possible that he prefers staying here to bouncing around to the unknown out there."

Arenado has been with the team since before the 2021 season. He's been an All-Star, a Gold Glove Award winner, and a leader with the team. But, will his time in St. Louis end this offseason? That likely will be among the first dominos to fall for the Cardinals this offseason.

More MLB: Cardinals Insider Responds to Sonny Gray-Giants Trade Rumor

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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