Cardinals 'Have To Be Hoping' For Greater Probability Of Trade Deadline Blockbuster

St. Louis could move on from a fan favorite this summer

Sep 24, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals were supposed to spend this offseason rebuilding the franchise but after failing to complete several must-needed trades, the organization is stuck in limbo.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak didn't do any favors to help his legacy in St. Louis after announcing an organizational reset last fall. Instead of investing in the club's future by trading several stars, such as Ryan Helsley and Erick Fedde, Mo and the front office sat idle.

It's worth noting that several necessary moves weren't able to be completed due to players' full no-trade clauses. However, it's possible one fan favorite could be dealt this summer, depending on how his first half performance pans out.

"The Cardinals roster would make so much more sense with Arenado out of the picture," CBS Sports' Chris Towers wrote Tuesday afternoon. "They're trying to reset on the fly, and getting Arenado out of the picture would give them somewhere for Nolan Gorman to play every day as they try to figure out whether he can be part of the next competitive core for them. But when Arenado turned down a trade to the (Houston) Astros, they were pretty much stuck with the veteran. I think there's room for an Arenado bounceback – his swing speed is up this spring – but the Cardinals have to be hoping it happens early so they can try to move him again."

It's true that Arenado's bat speed has increased since 2024 after slimming down and working rigorously this offseason to have a resurgent offensive campaign this year.

Arenado batted .272 with 39 extra-base hits including 16 home runs, 71 RBIs and a .719 OPS in 152 games played for the Cardinals last season -- his worst year offensively since his rookie campaign with the Colorado Rockies in 2013.

If any legitimate contender (Nado won't waive his full no-trade clause for a non-competitive club) is willing to accept the remainder of Arenado's contract -- currently standing at three years and $64 million -- the five-time Silver Slugger must prove that there's still plenty of pop left in his bat.

Considering that the Cardinals still don't have a clear direction for the future, it'll be interesting to see how they handle this summer's trade deadline, especially if Arenado's bat is hot.

More MLB: Cardinals' John Mozeliak Compares Floundering Veteran To Legend Adam Wainwright