Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Predicted To End 2025 Season Without $260 Million Superstar In Lineup

St. Louis could part ways with the fan favorite this summer
Nate Hagerty|
Mar 27, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Mar 27, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are stuck between rebuilding and contending as they begin their 2025 season, leaving many wondering how they'll approach this summer's trade deadline.

After failing to move several viable trade candidates this winter, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak will likely be faced with several franchise-altering decisions before the Jul. 31st deadline.

It's possible Mozeliak will finally succeed in trading one of the Cardinals' most beloved superstars this summer if he decides to commit to rebuilding the franchise by removing several remaining veterans from the organization's payroll.

"Season prediction: Contreras has bulked up since his move to first base, and it will result in the first 30-homer season of his career," ESPN's Alden Gonzalez wrote Wednesday. "By the end of the year, he'll be anchoring a bad Cardinals lineup that will be without Nolan Arenado."

Trading Arendo was Mozeliak's top priority this past offseason but due to the Cardinals' fan favorite's full no-trade clause restrictions, he remains in St. Louis.

The five-time Silver Slugger still has three years and roughly $64 million remaining on his eight-year, $260 million deal split between the Colorado Rockies and Cardinals, which St. Louis hoped to erase from the payroll this past winter.

The 10-time Gold Glove defender rejected a potential trade to the Houston Astros but failed to garner much interest from teams he was interested in joining. Being moved to the Boston Red Sox was Arenado's best chance at leaving St. Louis but another Gold Glove third baseman prevented that from happening.

Arenado's off to a solid start in 2025 -- batting .350 with seven hits including one home run, four RBIs and a 1.035 OPS in 20 at-bats across five games played for the Cardinals.

If the five-time Silver Slugger has a resurgent first half of his 2025 campaign offensively, there's a legitimate chance Arenado could be dealt at this summer's trade deadline. However, the Cardinals being competitive this season might prevent Mozeliak and St. Louis' front office from parting ways with the eight-time All-Star. There's plenty of baseball to play before that decision must be made.

More MLB: Cardinals Fan Favorite Predicted To Earn First All-Star Game Appearance This Summer

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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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