The St. Louis Cardinals entered the offseason with a clear goal: to trade star infielder Nolan Arenado. However, his hefty $64 million contract has made this a challenging task. In an effort to move him, the Cardinals have reportedly offered to take on a portion of the deal, but so far, the market for the three-time Gold Glove winner has remained underwhelming.
Teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, once thought to be in the running for Arenado, have shown diminished interest as the offseason has worn on, leaving the door wide open for other suitors. According to MLB.com’s John Denton, the Los Angeles Dodgers have now re-entered the Arenado sweepstakes after weeks of seeming disinterest. Denton noted that the key obstacle in any trade would be how much of Arenado’s $64 million contract the Cardinals are willing to absorb. Initial discussions in January stalled when the Cardinals refused to contribute more than $20 million toward Arenado’s remaining salary, but after a quiet month of trade talks, the Cardinals have reengaged with the Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox in hopes of finalizing a deal.
Although the Dodgers aren’t aggressively chasing Arenado at this moment, their involvement has certainly raised eyebrows. Adding a player of Arenado’s caliber to an already stacked Dodgers roster could make them even more formidable, and would undoubtedly strengthen their World Series ambitions. Despite his age, Arenado’s skill set remains impressive, and his leadership and defensive prowess would be a welcome addition to any contender’s lineup. If the Dodgers choose to step up their pursuit, they could quickly become the favorites to land the star third baseman.
