The Boston Red Sox have made three trades with the St. Louis Cardinals since the 2025 trade deadline, and losing Alex Bregman opened a path for another one.
Boston had been linked to longtime Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado as a potential backup for Bregman last season, as he didn't sign until spring training had already started. The Red Sox were getting desperate, and a trade for Arenado would've reflected that — after Bregman signed with the Cubs before the 2026 campaign, they find themselves desperate again.
Luckily, the Arizona Diamondbacks saved Boston from making a move it might later regret by trading for Arenado. Katie Woo of The Athletic was the first to report that trade discussions were progressing between the two sides and the move was confirmed shortly after. The Diamondbacks will send 2025 eighth-round draft pick Jack Martinez to the Cardinals for Arenado and St. Louis will pay $31 million of his $42 million salary for the remaining two years of his contract (subscription required).
Arenado had to agree to waive his no-trade clause to move to Arizona. The Cardinals and Houston Astros attempted a trade to move him last offseason, but he denied the move to take up Bregman's former position.
Arenado has a few qualities that the Red Sox liked in Bregman, which could've pushed them into a trade for the future Hall of Famer. Arenado has been an elite defender throughout his career and he has 10 Gold Glove Awards and six Platinum Gloves to his name. His top-tier defense has carried into the later years of his career, although it took a (minor) step back last year when he ranked in the 81st percentile in range among all third basemen.
Diamondbacks block another potential Red Sox-Cardinals trade by swapping prospect for Nolan Arenado
Arenado also has excellent plate discipline and he doesn't strike out much. He's only fanned 1094 times in his 13-year career and just 49 times in 107 games last year.
But Arenado doesn't supply any of the power the Red Sox's lineup still needs. Willson Contreras, Roman Anthony, Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu will contribute their fair share of bombs, but Arenado has posted 16 homers or less in the past two seasons, which doesn't move the needle in that department. Sure, playing in front of the Green Monster might help some more of his balls leave the yard, but his 18th percentile xSLG and 12th percentile hard hit rate from 2025 don't leave room for much improvement.
The Red Sox also haven't spent a dime on the free agent market this offseason and making another trade is ill advised. Boston has already depleted so much of its movable pitching depth in trades, specifically with the Cardinals, this winter, and further depleting the farm system when it has plenty of money to offer free agents isn't a good plan (although, after Bregman, it seems they have no clear plan).
Arenado undeniably meets some of the Red Sox's needs that Bregman supplied last season, but his age may be starting to creep up on him. Boston has more than enough money to act like the big market team that it is and sign a better replacement for Bregman.