Cardinals Take Nolan Arenado Stance After Sonny Gray Blockbuster

The St. Louis Cardinals made a big move on Tuesday, but it can't be the final one.

St. Louis put its money where its mouth is. Reports surfaced earlier in the offseason that the Cardinals would be more willing to eat money in potential trades this offseason. That was the case on Tuesday as the team reportedly agreed to send $20 million to the Boston Red Sox along with Sonny Gray for left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke and right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts.

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Now, the attention turns squarely to third baseman Nolan Arenado. He has two years left on his eight-year, $260 million deal. Arenado is owed $42 million over the next two years. After a down season, the Cardinals will likely have to pay that down and the team just showed they will pitch in cash to move veterans.

Instant Impact Of Cardinals-Red Sox Sonny Gray Blockbuster

Sep 21, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) salutes the fans after he was ceremonially removed before the start of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

After the trade on Tuesday, ESPN's Buster Olney said it seems "inevitable" that a trade or release is coming.

"It seems inevitable that the Cardinals will either trade or release Nolan Arenado before the start of the 2026 season; if so, Willson Contreras will be the last St. Louis player with a contract for 2027. Unless he's traded," Olney wrote. "To put this into context: The Cardinals could have a lower payroll next year than the Reds. Which might've seemed impossible in past decades."

Cardinals president of baseball operations shut down the idea of a release, though. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat shared the news from Bloom.

"I asked Bloom directly on his intro day if they would consider releasing Arenado and he unequivocally said they wouldn’t," Jones wrote on X. "

Even with a release off the table, trading Arenado must be the next step forward for St. Louis. And this should be done as fast as possible. With Gray gone, the Cardinals immediately have a better idea about the payroll going into 2026 and more opportunities for younger guys. If the Cardinals can offload Arenado right away as well, then it will just make things easier for Bloom and the front office with the Winter Meetings approaching.

Without Gray and Arenado, then Bloom and the front office can have a clearer sense of how much money they can spend, and also where in the organization needs investment.

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