BREAKING: Nolan Arenado gets brutally honest after not getting traded during offseason
Veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado is set to begin the season with the St. Louis Cardinals. He has spent four years in St. Louis, but despite having two seasons left on his contract, it seemed unlikely over the winter that he would remain with the team for a fifth year.
Throughout the offseason, Arenado was heavily involved in trade speculation as the Cardinals, entering a rebuild, sought to reduce payroll. Although there were discussions between St. Louis and the Houston Astros regarding a possible trade, Arenado ultimately vetoed the deal, and no other moves materialized. Now, he finds himself starting the season with a team that had seemingly been open to moving on from him.
“At first, it was a bit awkward,” Arenado told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “But I came to terms with the fact that I can’t control anything except getting ready for the season. That’s what I focused on—being here, being happy about it, and giving it my all.”
Another factor in his decision was his performance last season. Arenado posted a .719 OPS, his lowest since his rookie year, and hit just 16 home runs—far below his career average of over 30 per season. He didn’t want to leave the Cardinals on a disappointing note.
“I’ve won some cool awards here, but I don’t think last season would have been a good way to go out,” he said. “I would have always regretted that my final year was that one. That’s my motivation. I’m grateful for another chance to change that.”
He’s also eager to play for a fanbase that values quality baseball.
“I’m excited to go out there and compete in a place where they take pride in playing the game the right way,” Arenado added. “That’s what I want to give them.”
DJ LeMahieu likes what he sees from his friend and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado
Arenado is approaching his 34th birthday, and his underwhelming 2024 season could simply be a sign of an aging All-Star declining. That may be the case, but his close friend, Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu, praised Arenado’s mindset heading into 2025.
“He seems like he’s in a really good place,” LeMahieu told Derrick Goold. “I know last year didn’t go the way he wanted, but he seems ready to have a strong season. When we talked, he wasn’t caught up in all the trade rumors. He just wants to win—he always has. That’s been his focus from the moment I met him.”
Despite the Cardinals’ front office prioritizing the future, Arenado still believes St. Louis can be competitive right now. The team will begin its season on Thursday, hosting the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day.