Cardinals Could Find Perfect Trade Partner for 8x All-Star in Tigers

The St. Louis Cardinals got a jumpstart on their rebuild on Tuesday morning, sending veteran right-hander Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts.

Gray is the first domino to fall this offseason, and the Cardinals are very likely to trade other players as well. Another obvious candidate is Nolan Arenado.

St. Louis attempted to trade him last winter, but to no avail. This time around, it shouldn’t be quite as hard for St. Louis to find a taker. Mike Petriello of MLB.com listed the Detroit Tigers as a team that could potentially take him off the Cardinals’ hands.

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Could Tigers Take Arenado Off Cards’ Hands?

Jul 22, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) on deck in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Arenado had a career-worst season at the plate in 2025 with St. Louis, hitting .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs, 52 RBI and a miserable .666 OPS. Going to Detroit might not help him too much either, as Comerica Park is very hitter friendly.

However, he still is among the most elite defensive third basemen, and playing for a team that is going to contend rather than rebuild could help him get back to where he once was in some regard.

The 34-year-old is reportedly willing to expand his list of potential destinations, and the Cardinals are more willing to eat a chunk of his remaining salary, which should make a deal much easier. That was part of what held up the process last offseason.

After he declined a trade to the Houston Astros, there wasn’t much more movement in his market. However, the Tigers have a clear need at third base, and if they don’t sign Alex Bregman, Arenado could be a solid two-year solution as they try to make a deeper run in the postseason in the future.

Even if they eat money, the Cardinals can shed some salary in order to get a good return for the veteran third baseman. The Tigers also have a strong farm system and could potentially give the Cardinals what they’re looking for in terms of young, controllable pitching.

The Gray trade was just the start of what should be a busy offseason in St. Louis. It will be interesting to see what Arenado’s market looks like and if the Tigers end up being a suitor.

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