Cardinals Could Trade 8x All-Star To NL East Contender In Major Rebuild Move

The Cardinals need somebody to take him off their hands.

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of work ahead of them this winter. As Chaim Bloom begins his first offseason in charge of baseball operations, the Cardinals appear likely to make some big trades.

Among the players likely to move is third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals tried to move him last winter and even had a deal lined up with the Houston Astros, but he declined to waive his no-trade clause and there was no further movement in his market.

This offseason, a trade is far more likely. Dayn Perry of CBS Sports predicts he’ll end up with a powerhouse in the National League East.

Could This NL East Team Pry Arenado Away From Cards?

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) runs home after his solo home run against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

“It's not hard to see Arenado as a 2 WAR-ish kind of player across a full season, and I think the Cardinals will pay enough of his remaining salary to make him moveable on the market. I'll guess he lands with the Phillies,” Perry said.

The Phillies have been trying to move Alec Bohm for the past two years. They’ll need to upgrade over him at third base, and while Arenado’s bat has declined significantly, his defense remains superb.

The Cardinals will likely be willing to eat more salary to make a deal happen, and as long as they are willing to do that, then moving Arenado shouldn’t be too difficult. A spot could then open up for top prospect JJ Wetherholt, or Nolan Gorman or Thomas Saggese could be granted more playing time.

This would be good for the Cardinals. They could still at least get out from under some of Arenado’s remaining salary and clear some payroll space, even if they eat the majority of his deal. 

The 34-year-old had a career-worst year at the plate, hitting just .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs, 52 RBI and a .666 OPS. However, he is still an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover, so there is value left with him.

The Phillies could get a major upgrade at third base while the Cardinals could get a chance to reset their roster for the future. 

The Cardinals are going to be a fascinating team to watch this offseason as they try and unload some veterans, and it will certainly be interesting to see where Arenado ends up if the Cardinals are able to move him.

More MLB: Cardinals Predicted To Trade All-Star 2B, And It's The Right Move