Cardinals Have 'Very Limited List' Of Suitors For 5-Time Silver Slugger

Will a blockbuster deal get done in the near future?

Sep 16, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) fields a ground ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Could the St. Louis Cardinals end up hanging on to one of their biggest stars?

St. Louis has been in a lot of trade rumors this offseason as there has been speculation that the team is at least open to considering deals for big-name players, like Nolan Arenado. A deal involving him would be a quick way to shed salary while possibly bringing prospects back to town.

There's a chance that he could be open to a move to a contender. But, at this point there is a "very limited list" of potential suitors, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

"The Cardinals are working from a very limited list of Nolan Arenado's preferred teams as they consider trade possibilities for the future Hall of Famer," Olney said.

This doesn't mean a deal won't get done, but it is interesting. Arenado still is a very solid player and could help a team out. He's just 33 years old and still is one of the best defensive infielders in baseball. He also clocked 16 home runs and drove in 71 RBIs in 2024.

While those numbers may be below his standard, they are still better than most. He's under contract for three more years including the 2025 campaign. The fact that it seems to be tough to fund a suitor is somewhat surprising.

With the Winter Meetings kicking off next week, we should find out more about a possible deal quickly in either direction.

More MLB: Cardinals $260M Star Could Be Open To Trade To Contender, Per Insider