Why Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado trade situation is ‘complicated’

The potential trade of St. Louis Cardinals’ star third baseman Nolan Arenado has become one of the most intriguing storylines of the MLB offseason. However, the situation took a new turn when Arenado used his no-trade clause to block a potential deal to the Houston Astros.

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Katie Woo of The Athletic shed light on the complexities of Arenado’s trade discussions during an appearance on Foul Territory on Thursday.

“It’s a complicated situation,” Woo explained. “Earlier in the offseason, Arenado provided the Cardinals with a short list of teams he’d consider. While the Astros were initially on that list, their current roster makeup may have influenced his decision. With Houston trading away Kyle Tucker, and potentially not being in the running for Alex Bregman, the team looks drastically different now. That could have given Arenado some pause.”

Woo added, “On Tuesday, he declined to waive his no-trade clause—for now. This doesn’t necessarily mean talks are over. It’s not a definitive no, but more of a ‘not right now.’ Arenado seems to be waiting to see how the market develops. His decision was less about the Astros not being a good fit and more about the timing not aligning.”

Several teams, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Astros, have been connected to Arenado this offseason. While Houston may continue discussions, Arenado’s stance underscores the unpredictability of this high-stakes trade saga.