 The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros had outlined a trade that would have sent veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado and significant cash to Houston. However, Arenado utilized his full no-trade clause to block the deal, as is his contractual right. This does not necessarily mean that an Arenado-to-Astros trade is entirely off the table.
According to The Athletic, Arenado "remains open to exploring the idea," and both Houston and St. Louis will maintain contact regarding a potential deal. It's unclear how aggressively the Astros will continue their pursuit, but multiple team sources indicate Arenado preferred to wait until the third-base market is more established before making any decisions. One reason for this wait could be the availability of Alex Bregman, currently a free agent and a long-time Astro. Bregman is likely a top choice for teams needing a third baseman and willing to meet market rates. By waiting, Arenado might gain more clarity on his market value and leverage. This could lead to renewed talks between the Astros and Cardinals. Other potential fits for Arenado include the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Phillies (if they decide to trade Alec Bohm). The Cardinals are looking to move Arenado as part of a broader youth movement and to clear salary commitments for 2025 and beyond. An eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, Arenado has shown signs of offensive decline over the last two seasons, raising concerns as he approaches his age-34 season. Nevertheless, he remains a stellar defender at third base. Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three seasons, but $10 million of that total will be covered by his former team, the Rockies. The Cardinals have also expressed willingness to include $15 million in cash in their talks with Houston, which would reduce the remaining commitment to below $50 million for any acquiring team. This assumes St. Louis ownership remains willing to pay down his contract to such an extent.
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