The St. Louis Cardinals made significant efforts this offseason to trade Nolan Arenado to a team he’d agree to join by waiving his no-trade clause, but those efforts fell through—either due to limited interest from other teams or a change of heart from Arenado regarding potential destinations. One team he was reportedly open to joining was the Boston Red Sox. While Boston didn’t pursue him at the time, a major recent setback to their roster might now prompt them to explore their options, possibly revisiting interest in the veteran third baseman.
The injury to the Red Sox’ Triston Casas could lead Boston to pivot to Nolan Arenado.
A devastating knee injury that ended Triston Casas’ season has left the Red Sox urgently searching for a long-term solution at first base. There’s been ongoing speculation that Boston could shift star third baseman Rafael Devers to first, and Casas’ absence may speed up that move—creating a major void at third base.
Meanwhile, Nolan Arenado has shown some improvement after a rough 2024 campaign and could still offer value to a contender willing to absorb part of his salary. The Cardinals have insisted that any team acquiring Arenado take on a significant chunk of his remaining contract, and with Boston looking to stay competitive, St. Louis may finally gain leverage in trade talks.
Chaim Bloom, recently appointed as the Cardinals’ incoming president of baseball operations, has deep familiarity with the Red Sox organization from his time leading their front office. While John Mozeliak remains the nominal head of baseball operations, Bloom should have a central role in any negotiations involving Arenado and Boston, especially given his knowledge of the Red Sox farm system—which ranks third in MLB.com’s latest rankings.
St. Louis is expected to prioritize high-upside pitching prospects, and Boston’s Luis Perales and David Sandlin—both known for their power arms—are prime trade targets. Despite Mozeliak’s public optimism about competing in 2025, the Cardinals’ current fourth-place standing in the NL Central (17-19) makes a playoff push unlikely unless they win the division outright. With that in mind, they can’t let nostalgia cloud their decisions. If Boston expresses serious interest in Arenado, St. Louis needs to act swiftly and capitalize.
