The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to be sellers ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, but the question many in the fan base and around the league are wondering is if eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado could be one of the players shipped out of town in the coming weeks. A top MLB insider gave a major update on that possibility on Friday.
The 2023 MLB season has had some interesting surprises. The Baltimore Orioles still being in the chase for the American League East title in July is one, while the Cincinnati Reds sitting in first place at the midway point is another. However, the surprise disappointing seasons from several teams stand out even more.
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Obviously, the New York Mets and San Diego Padres have received a lot of attention for the financial investments in rosters that have delivered sub-.500 results. But their performance has also overshadowed the massive step back the St. Louis Cardinals have taken in 2023.
After winning 93 games and the National League Central division last season, the team has been pretty much the exact opposite over the first half of this season. They are currently 38-52, nearly a dozen games out of first place, and own the sixth-worst record in MLB.
St. Louis Cardinals trading Nolan Arenado considered a ‘long shot’
It is a stunning fall from grace and that is why many expect the always-savvy franchise to take advantage of the situation and retool the roster and minor league system at the trade deadline.
Impending free agents like Adam Wainwright, Jordan Montgomery, and Jack Flaherty are likely first in line to be traded. But many wonder if the St. Louis Cardinals would trade stars like Willson Contreras, Paul Goldschmidt, or even Nolan Arenado.
- Nolan Arenado contract: 4 years and $109 million left
During a Friday appearance on MLB Network, league insider Jon Heyman was asked about how much selling the Cardinals would do, and while he expects them to be influencers in this year’s market, Arenado is unlikely to be a player on the move.
“We all talked to Nolan Arenado at the All-Star game and he said that he would be surprised if he’s moved but he can’t say he would be shocked at this point. I think at this point we’d all be surprised if he’s moved. We don’t think that’s happening. I would say that’s a long shot. I would say, more likely, he stays where he is like [Shohei] Ohtani.”
– Jon Heyman
It was recently reported that the St. Louis Cardinals do have designs on being a contender again in 2023.