Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Best Move Is One They Didn’t Make

The Cardinals made the right choice...
Patrick McAvoy|
Sep 17, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Sep 17, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals were in trade rumors all winter, which also carried into the 2025 Major League Baseball season. Most of them revolved around Nolan Arenado.

Fortunately for St. Louis, nothing came together, though. The Cardinals are winning games left and right and Arenado is a significant reason why. The Cardinals have a 42-35 record entering play on Sunday after sweeping the Chicago White Sox in a three-game series and taking down the Cincinnati Reds in the first two games of a three-game set.

Arenado has had his hands all over the series. He nailed a game-tying homer in the ninth inning on Saturday and has been red-hot overall this month. Arenado has turned back the clock and is slashing .290/.329/.478 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 18 games this month.

The Cardinals entered this season with plenty of people counting them out. They have changed people's minds, though. Arenado talked about the team after the big win on Sunday and specifically the fight in this franchise, as transcribed by MLB.com's John Denton.

"It was such a hot day -- the hottest day we played at home in awhile and it was pretty uncomfortable out there, but we stayed with it and we didn’t give in,” Arenado said. “It feels like we just do a great job of not giving in. To fight back against those great arms, it was great by us."

Arenado arguably was the most talked about player on the trade block this past offseason and things haven't slowed down. But, the best move the Cardinals made was keeping him. He has played Gold Glove Award-caliber defense and is starting to get some power back. If the Cardinals are going to make a run at a playoff spot, you want someone like Arenado.

More MLB: Cardinals 11-Year Veteran In Danger As Trade Rumors Heat Up

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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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