On Feb. 12, the Boston Red Sox finally signed the right-handed bat they desperately needed in longtime Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. Before they signed him, though, a trade for Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was on the table.
St. Louis is desperate to trade the veteran to shed some payroll and kick their rebuild into motion after two straight playoff misses. But after the Bregman signing took Boston out of the trade market, it seems it may have been the Cards' only option to dish Arenado.
“I think the mindset right now is he’s likely going to be a part of our club at this point,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said in the wake of the Sox's latest move.
Mozeliak named trading Arenado as St. Louis' "top priority" this offseason. Either the Cardinals didn't have many suitors or they demanded too much for a 34-year-old player after showing how badly they hoped to move him. When the desperate Red Sox left the market, the Cards pivoted immediately.
Red Sox's Alex Bregman signing leaves Cardinals without a trade suitor for Nolan Arenado
With Boston off the table, what's next for Nolan Arenado? @Ken_Rosenthal and @alannarizzo weigh in on #FTLive pic.twitter.com/okpyKAeOln
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 13, 2025
Signing Bregman was always Boston's main priority in its hunt for a righty bat, but it had to stay in touch with the Cardinals about Arenado due to his asking price. Bregman doesn't fit the Red Sox six years in the future, while Arenado's deal only has three years remaining. There would still be roster complications if the Sox signed Arenado — Rafael Devers would have to move from third base and the team would have nothing to do with Masataka Yoshida.
If Bregman hadn't budged on his desired contract length and price, Arenado could've been a Red Sox by now, which would definitely be the worse outcome for Boston. Both Bregman and Arenado posted down seasons in 2024, but the former is younger, has more power, more flexibility position-wise, and has an established relationship with Red Sox skipper Alex Cora.
All hope isn't lost for the Cardinals. Mozeliak admitted that Arenado makes the team better, and if he's able to bounce back a bit offensively, St. Louis could potentially find a suitor for him at the trade deadline.