Cardinals' Nolan Arenado Had 'Genuine Interest' From AL Contender

The Cardinals tried to get a blockbuster trade done...

Aug 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) reacts during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals haven't traded Nolan Arenado, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't real interest in him this offseason.

St. Louis was in trade rumors all offseason involving Arenado. He is still with the team and the club that was the most tied to him unsurprisingly was the Boston Red Sox. They were linked to him all offseason, but also had interest in Alex Bregman. After months of rumors and speculation, Boston inked a deal with Bregman which shut down Arenado talks.

While this is the case, Boston reportedly did have "genuine interest" in Arenado, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"(John Mozeliak) kept in contact with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow throughout the next several weeks," Woo said. "The Red Sox had genuine interest in Arenado, but were prepared to wait out Bregman and communicated that to Mozeliak. As spring training neared, Boston’s confidence in landing Bregman began to wane. Conversations with the Cardinals began to pick up more frequently.

"Again, the Cardinals believed they had found a legitimate suitor. But in this situation, Mozeliak had even less control than before. It helped that Chaim Bloom — the former top executive for the Red Sox and Mozeliak’s eventual successor — was available for insight on potential return packages. Still, until Bregman made a decision, Arenado and the Cardinals remained in limbo."

Boston has one of the best farm systems in baseball so the return likely would've been solid, but the two sides didn't get a deal done.

More MLB: Cardinals Insider Reveals Why Nolan Arenado Shut Down Astros Deal