Latest Nolan Arenado Report Bodes Well For Cardinals Blockbuster

Will the St. Louis Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado away?

It sounds like all signs are pointing in that direction. Arenado said he would be willing to expand his approved trade list beyond the list of five that he initially gave the Cardinals: the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the Houston Astros.

On top of this, The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported that the Cardinals will be more willing to include cash in a trade in order to make an Arenado trade more possible. Woo noted that this could be the case for Sonny Gray as well.

Will the St. Louis Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado this winter?

Sep 21, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) salutes the fans after he was ceremonially removed before the start of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"Still, an organization knows its general budget, even if the exact numbers aren’t defined," Woo said. "Ownership and Bloom reiterated how the Cardinals will rebuild: through the draft and development process. The organization has recommitted to the model that established its perennial success. This was evident last year, when St. Louis added several new positions within player development and its analytics department. Expect more additions this offseason. According to multiple team sources, ownership is prepared to continue investing in those areas, along with the scouting department at the professional and international levels.

"Ownership is also more agreeable to including additional money in trades to ensure a better return product, those sources said — something the club has vehemently opposed in the past. This is especially noteworthy in the case of Nolan Arenado, who the Cardinals will attempt to trade once more this year. This could also apply to Sonny Gray, should he decide to forego the final year of his deal in St. Louis and waive his no-trade clause to join a contending team next year."

Last year, there was some interest in the trade market for Arenado, but having three years left on his deal certainly hurt the chances of a deal. Plus, the narrow window with just five teams he was willing to waive the no-trade clause for didn't help.

We won't know more likely for a few weeks with the playoffs going on, but the signs are pointing towards a split.

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