Cardinals Biggest Remaining Question After Guardians Trade

The St. Louis Cardinals have done a very solid job this offseason.

The market has moved slowly across the league, and yet it seems like every few days the Cardinals pop up and do something. That has included two separate trades with the Boston Red Sox around Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, signing Dustin May in free agency, and most recently acquiring Justin Bruihl from the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.

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But, the Cardinals still have more work to do. Arguably, it would make sense to add one more reliever and maybe even a veteran starting pitcher on a one-year deal. There's much more work to do in the trade market as well. Brendan Donovan has been the most popular trade candidate for the team, but he isn't the team's biggest remaining question.

Biggest Remaining Quesstion For St. Louis

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) throws to first base for an out against the San Francisco Giants during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Will the club find a way to trade Nolan Arenado?
This has been the team's biggest question over the last year and remains the case after the swap with the Guardians on Tuesday. Both sides have shown a willingness to figure out a deal this winter and it would be in both sides' best interest. For St. Louis, a trade sending Arenado out of town could theoretically lower payroll a tad while opening up everyday opportunities at third base for guys like JJ Wetherholt, Nolan Gorman, or Thomas Saggese. Or, if Donovan doesn't get traded, maybe even him.

For Arenado, a trade could be a much-needed change of scenery after a tough 2025 season. He was still elite defensively, but his offensive numbers took a hit as he dealt with injuries for a good chunk of the second half of the season. If the Cardinals could get a deal done with a contender, that would be an even better reason for Arenado. St. Louis isn't likely to contend in 2026 unless some shocking things happen. With Arenado almost 35 years old, getting a shot at a ring would be nice and well-deserved for all he has done over the last 13 years in the big leagues. But can the Cardinals get something over the finish line?

More MLB: Cardinals' Justin Bruihl Likely To Replace 6-Year Veteran