3 Cardinals Stars Who Will Land On Trade Block In Offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals are seemingly entering a rebuild this offseason and the fans better buckle up.

St. Louis doesn't have a lot of expiring contracts, so for them to see roster shake up, it will have to be through cuts and trades.

In terms of trades, nearly everybody on the team's roster could be a trade candidate as the front office looks to turn this franchise around. But who are three players who will almost certainly end up on the trade block in the coming months?

OF Lars Nootbaar

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaa — Aug 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Garrett Hampson, left, center fielder Nathan Church, center, and right fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) celebrate a win against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

With top prospects Thomas Saggese and JJ Wetherholt looking to become staples in the Cardinals infield, Brendan Donovan will likely slide to the outfield every day. This takes away a spot for somebody like Nootbaar, who hasn't bee that impressive.

Nootbaar has some team control on his contract, so he might be able to net a solid return for the Cardinals, but it won't be anything special. There's no future for him in St. Louis, as he's seemingly reached his offensive peak and it's nothing special.

3B Nolan Arenado

The Cardinals need to do anything they can to offload Nolan Arenado in the offseason. Not only is he eating up a lot of money, but he's eating up a roster spot that could have been given to Wetherholt or another top prospect months ago.

With the Cardinals facing a rebuild, there' no use for a struggling veteran who isn't getting any better. Arenado has a big contract and a no-trade clause, so moving him is tough, but at this point, the team would be better off paying somebody else to take him.

UTL Brendan Donovan

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Brendan Donova — Aug 2, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) throws to first base for a out during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images

This largely comes down to whether they move Nootbaar. If they move Nootbaar, there's an open spot in the outfield for Donovan. If not, Donovan might end up on the trade block himself.

While he's a fan favorite and a solid hitter, he's likely not getting any better than he is right now. The utility man has hit his peak value and would net a solid return on the open market.

The Cardinals are rebuilding, so it's unlikely they're competitive before Donovan's contract runs out. It doesn't seem like they're going to land a contract extension for him, so they'd be better off trading him in the offseason rather than waiting until he's a rental at the trade deadline in a few years to do so.

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