Cardinals urged to cut ties with $260 million star to start rebuild

The St. Louis Cardinals failed to reach the postseason in 2024. They could start a rebuild as their star players have started to decline.

When listing players the Cardinals could trade to kickstart their rebuild. FanSided's Zach Pressnell urged the team to trade Nolan Arenado.

"The Cardinals have one of the best veteran infielders in the league attached to a contract with three more years on it," wrote Pressnell. "But, the Cardinals likely won't be competitive during this three year stretch, so Nolan Arenado would be better off traded for a massive package of prospects."

Arenado is an eight-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, five-time Silver Slugger and six-time Platinum Glove Award winner. The veteran has a great resume, but saw a slight decline in 2024. His 101 OPS+ was the lowest since 2020. He hit less than 20 home runs, which is the least he has hit in a full season since 2014.

The 33-year-old was acquired by the Cardinals in a trade with the Colorado Rockies in 2021. Since then he has been a key player for the franchise. With a weak group of infielders in free agency, Arenado could draw a great return.

"But for the Cardinals, trading him now would net the highest return. There aren't very many infielders that are available in free agency this offseason that can offer what Arenado can," wrote Pressnell. "The Cardinals would have the advantage of dealing a player better than any option in free agency. This could really drive his price tag up."

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