The St. Louis Cardinals have been looking to trade Nolan Arenado this winter, but there might be only one realistic suitor for the veteran third baseman.
Arenado has a full no-trade clause, which gives him some level of control over his future. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, MLB sources believe that the Boston Red Sox “represent Arenado’s last chance to get dealt before the 2025 season.”
The Red Sox are in need of another bat, but they have also pursued star infielder Alex Bregman. Woo and others have reported in recent days that Boston could pivot to Arenado if Bregman’s asking price remains high, as the former Houston Astros star is said to be seeking north of $200 million.
Though his numbers dipped a bit in 2024 with a .272 average, 16 home runs and 71 RBI, Arenado has been one of the more productive hitters in baseball for the better part of a decade. He is an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove Award winner.
A report on Sunday said Arenado is willing to waive his no-trade clause for the Red Sox and may even have them at the top of his preferred destination list. The belief at one point was that the 33-year-old was holding out for a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the reigning World Series champions have not shown much interest.
The Red Sox would need to do some shuffling if they acquired Arenado. Rafael Devers would probably move from third base to first, but Boston already has Tristan Casas at first. Casas has been viewed as a potential trade target himself, but Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has said the team does not plan to move the 24-year-old.
