Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Might Eat 'Half The Money' Nolan Arenado Is Owed To Complete Red Sox Trade

St. Louis is having a challenging time moving the fan favorite
Nate Hagerty|
Sep 8, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) at bat during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Sep 8, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) at bat during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsBoston Red Sox

The St. Louis Cardinals have their hands tied after failing to find a trade suitor for superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado this offseason.

Despite declaring an organizational reset shortly after the 2024 season ended, the Cardinals haven't traded anyone this winter. Position players report to spring training on Feb. 17, so St. Louis is running out of time to move Arenado.

However, the Cardinals might have to take drastic measures at this point if they hope to trade Arenado before he reports to Jupiter, Florida for spring training with St. Louis.

"Moving Arenado could force St. Louis to eat upward of half the money he is owed," ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote Tuesday morning. "Short of that, Boston's (Red Sox) interest is iffy. Such posturing, of course, is the domain of the winter -- and when something looks dead one day, it can come back to life the next (Pete Alonso's return to the (New York) Mets, for example)."

Some have described the Red Sox as Arenado's "last chance" to be traded from the Cardinals this offseason. Unfortunately, former Houston Astros slugger Alex Bregman still being available as a highly coveted free agent has complicated the St. Louis fan favorite's market.

"Still, for a team that values its analytical model as much as Boston does, deviating from it is not Boston's style," Passan continued. "The Red Sox will set a number they're willing to take on. And either there will or won't be a deal."

Arenado has three years and $64 million remaining on his contract. If the Cardinals were willing to eat $15-20 million to move the 10-time Gold Glove defender to Houston, how much more will they forefit to send him to Boston?

More MLB: Cardinals Could Have Serious Lineup Logjam To Solve If Nolan Arenado Isn't Traded

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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