Cardinals Linked To Yankees In Shocking Trade Deadline Scenario For 8-Time All-Star

Perhaps St. Louis and New York will complete a deal this summer

Aug 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals haven't been active in the trade market this winter despite aiming to reduce payroll but perhaps this summer will present the right opportunities for deals.

For instance, two-time All-Star reliever Ryan Helsley was expected to be placed on the trade block this winter but Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak had other plans for the 30-year-old flamethrower.

Much like Helsley, another St. Louis fan favorite could be shopped at this summer's trade deadline and the 27-time World Series champion New York Yankees could be a surprising fit.

"(Nolan) Arenado Ends Season With: New York Yankees," Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote Thursday morning when predicting where top trade chips could end the 2025 season. "They were reportedly one of the teams Arenado was willing to waive his no-trade clause for, and there's a decent chance they'll be desperate enough to take on the rest of his contract after a few months of trying to platoon Oswaldo Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu and Oswald Peraza at the hot corner."

The Cardinals' top priority this offseason has been finding a trade suitor for Arenado, who will waive his full no-trade clause for a small selection of big-market teams -- such as the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Yankees.

Unfortunately for Arenado, his offensive regression over the past few seasons and his hefty $64 million contract have prevented him from being traded this winter.

Despite being a potential future Hall of Fame candidate, Arenado must prove himself again to potential trade suitors if he hopes to be dealt to a genuine contender this summer.

It's public knowledge that the Yankees have shown no interest in pursuing a deal for the eight-time All-Star this winter. New York doesn't believe in the soon-to-be 34-year-old's capabilities and is done adding to the payroll.

However, Arenado's skills are superior to Cabrera, LeMahieu and Peraza's, so if the Yankees are willing to open the books this summer, a deal for the 10-time Gold Glove defender could make sense -- as long as Nado has an offensive resurgence in the first half of 2025.

More MLB: Cardinals $75 Million All-Star Predicted To Be Dealt To Mets At Trade Deadline