Former Cardinals Star Has Strong Opinion On Nolan Arenado Trade

Did the Cardinals get it right?

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

At long last, the St. Louis Cardinals accomplished their goal of trading star third baseman Nolan Arenado. The eight-time All-Star was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Jack Martinez, a 2025 draft selection.

The Cardinals ate the majority of the contract, only clearing a little bit of salary space, but they still cleared up third base for a younger player to take over, which could possibly end up being top prospect JJ Wetherholt.

However, Cardinals legend Matt Holliday isn’t so impressed by the deal, and on Tuesday, he criticized his old team for making the deal and having to eat so much money.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Cardinals Legend’s Blunt Take On Arenado Deal

Aug 27, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday celebrates with members of the Cardinals Red Jacket Club after he was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

“The most surprising thing to me is how much money they had to eat, and they got a pitcher who hasn’t thrown a professional pitch,” Holliday said.

“I think the Diamondbacks got a steal here. I think Nolan’s power in that ballpark will tick up.”

Holliday may ultimately be right. The Cardinals had to trade Arenado, and doing so isn’t the problem. But Holliday is right that the Cardinals didn’t get a whole lot of salary relief.

Martinez is unproven, and while it’s too soon to judge the deal since Martinez hasn’t made his professional debut yet, it’s easy to see where Holliday is coming from. It’s not that the Cardinals were going to bring back a great return for Arenado, but he’ll likely benefit from playing on a contender and in a ballpark where the dimensions are more favorable to hitters.

Busch Stadium hasn’t done Arenado a lot of favors over the past few years, even though he has significantly declined. But if the Cardinals are going to trade Brendan Donovan, they need to make sure they end up bringing back a strong haul for him instead of just a few unproven minor league pitchers.

The package for Arenado is not strong, but the fact that the Cardinals had to eat so much money ultimately proves how desperate they were to move on from him and find him a new fit.

Still, it’s easy to see why Holliday isn’t impressed. The deal just happened on Tuesday, so it’s too soon to say who won the deal, but the Cardinals didn’t exactly get anything noteworthy, especially considering how much money they had to eat.

More MLB: What Comes Next Cardinals After Nolan Arenado Trade?