Inside The Cardinals

Mets Reportedly 'Never Showed Interest' In Trading For Cardinals $260 Million Star

The St. Louis fan favorite's trade market is slim
Nate Hagerty|
Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsNew York Mets

The St. Louis Cardinals entered this offseason with intentions of reducing payroll, which they achieved by moving on from several free agents.

However, many expected the Cardinals to be active in the trade market as well. After realizing that certain players' full no-trade clauses would prevent them from further shedding payroll, St. Louis sat idle and waited for a deal to open that never did.

The Cardinals top trade chip invoked his full no-trade clause for nearly every team, with the exception of a small handful of clubs -- one of which never reciprocated any interest.

"(Nolan) Arenado, who has a full no-trade clause in his contract, added the (New York) Mets and (Philadelphia) Phillies to his original list of desired teams — which was the (New York) Yankees, (Los Angeles) Dodgers, (San Diego) Padres, (Boston) Red Sox and (Houston) Astros — but the Mets never showed interest, and then re-signed Pete Alonso," New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Thursday.

The Mets are right behind the Dodgers with the league's second-highest payroll at roughly $315 million after reuniting with Alonso and signing this offseason's top free agent, Juan Soto, to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal.

Considering the Mets already have a solid third baseman in Mark Vientos, it wouldn't have made much sense for them to trade for Arenado, who still has three years and $64 million remaining on the $260 million deal he signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2019 before being traded to St. Louis two seasons later.

Arenado endured his career-worst offensive campaign in 2024, so it's been challenging for the 10-time Gold Glove defender to find a legitimate contender willing to take a chance on him.

Perhaps Arenado will be a hot commodity at this summer's trade deadline if he can have a resurgence at the plate in the first half of the season.

More MLB: Yankees Broadcaster Urges Cardinals To Swap Nolan Arenado For 2-Time All-Star

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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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