Cardinals Encouraged To Trade With Surprise AL Contender For Nolan Arenado

The St. Louis Cardinals failed to find a suitable trade destination for third baseman Nolan Arenado over the winter but perhaps the franchise should move him now.

Since beginning the 2025 season with one of the league's hottest offenses, the Cardinals have cooled off and sit five games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

With the July 31st trade deadline steadily approaching and St. Louis' playoff hopes fading, an insider recently suggested that the Cardinals boldly move to part ways with Arenado immediately.

"(Detroit) Tigers acquire Nolan Arenado from Cardinals for right-handed pitcher Josh Randall and 3B Carson Rucker," The Athletic's Jim Bowden wrote Monday morning when writing out five trades he'd like to see occur in May. "The Tigers (22-13) have the best record in the American League but it’s hard not to think about how good they would have been if third baseman Alex Bregman had landed in Detroit instead of signing with Boston (Red Sox). That decision was no fault of the Tigers, who offered more years and dollars than the three-year, $120 million deal Bregman ultimately agreed to with the Red Sox. However, it’s clear Detroit still has a significant need at third base, and trying to acquire Arenado makes a lot of sense."

The 10-time Gold Glove defender is batting .254 with 31 hits including nine doubles and three home runs, 14 RBIs and a .743 OPS in 32 games played for the Cardinals this season. Although the superstar has regressed offensively over the past few years, he remains an elite defender and a worthy veteran to have on the youth-laden Tigers roster.

"Arenado has a full no-trade clause and has not indicated he would accept a move to the Motor City," Bowden continued. "However, perhaps the eight-time All-Star would reconsider the opportunity to join Detroit, a playoff team with one of the best and deepest five-man rotations in Major League Baseball." Bowden later went on to say that "two low-level prospects should be sufficient for the Cardinals as this deal would be more about opening up opportunities for young players such as Nolan Gorman. Perhaps a package of Randall and Rucker would work. Law ranked Randall, 22, a third-round pick in the 2024 draft, as the No. 11 prospect in Detroit’s system. Rucker, 20, was a fourth-round pick in 2023. Both players are currently at Low-A Lakeland."

Unfortunately, the Cardinals entered this season with three years and $64 million remaining on their contract with Arenado, making finding a suitor to appease the 34-year-old full no-trade clause all the more challenging.

Considering that the Cardinals were willing to eat $15-20 million of Arenado's contract to trade him to the Houston Astros over the offseason, it's reasonable to suggest they'd have to similarly do so if a deal with the Tigers becomes realistic.

It's heartbreaking to imagine St. Louis trading Arenado, a Cardinals fan favorite, in exchange for two low-level prospects but sadly, his expensive contract and offensive regression have significantly lowered his value.

Detroit is a legitimate threat to contend after losing three games to two in the 2024 AL Divisional Series to the Cleveland Guardians, which could entice Arenado, a likely future Hall of Fame candidate, hungry for his first World Series ring, to waive his full no-trade clause for the Tigers.

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