The Nolan Arenado trade rumors never completely went away, and one American League contender could make another run at the St. Louis Cardinals third baseman.
MLB.com’s Marc Feinsand wrote Wednesday that the New York Yankees could once again pursue Arenado prior to the July 31 trade deadline. The Yankees are prioritizing upgrades at third base, and there is a chance Arenado is available.
Feinsand also noted that the Detroit Tigers could be in the market for a third baseman such as Arenado.
Arenado has a no-trade clause, so he would have to agree to any move. The Yankees had some interest during the offseason, but never seemed to make an aggressive effort to get Arenado. The third baseman did block a trade to a different contender.
One complicating factor is the Cardinals’ record. They entered play Thursday at 47-41 and are tied for the second National League Wild Card spot. It may take a poor July to convince the Cardinals to part with Arenado.
The 34-year-old third baseman is not what he once was offensively, and is hitting .247 with 10 home runs this season. His defense remains good, but is still owed roughly $74 million over the next three seasons.
