St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado continued his strong offensive start to the season in Monday's 8-3 win over the Astros. Arenado went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a solo home run, and two RBI. The 33-year-old punished a seventh-inning Luis Contreras middle-middle fastball, launching it into the left-field bullpen. Arenado seems to have left his awkward off-season with the Cardinals' front office in the past, slashing .316/.409/.526 with two HR and nine RBI in his first 66 plate appearances. His slugging percentage has been up after last season's disappointing production, although, like last season, he has not hit the ball very hard.
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (illness) is returning to the starting nine on Tuesday evening when they continue a series against their NL Central rival, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Arenado was unable to play in the series opener on Monday due to an illness. However, Arenado will return quickly to the starting nine, suggesting the injury was not serious. Through his first six games of the campaign, the 33-year-old has posted a stellar .371/.463/.543 slash line with three doubles and one home run. During this impressive start, he has held a 7.3 percent strikeout rate with a 14.6 percent walk rate. He will cover the hot corner and bat cleanup. Despite his strong start, he is not worth targeting in DFS facing right-hander Paul Skenes.
Nolan Arenado Scratched On Monday With Illness, Soreness
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (illness) has been scratched from Monday's series opener at PNC Park against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates due to an illness and soreness, according to manager Oliver Marmol. Thomas Saggese will replace him at third base and will bat sixth against Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski. It doesn't sound like anything serious for Arenado, who should be considered day-to-day, and fantasy managers will want to check back on him on Tuesday. The 33-year-old veteran has looked great in the early going, batting .343 (12-for-35) with a homer, six RBI and six runs scored in 35 at-bats. Saggese, one of St. Louis' top prospects, hit his second career home run on Sunday night against the Red Sox and is 2-for-4 with four RBI in just two games in 2025. He should be considered a DFS sleeper against Mlodzinski, who he has faced only one time in his career.
Potential Nolan Arenado Trade To Houston Isn't Gaining Traction
The Houston Astros have re-engaged in trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for third baseman Nolan Arenado, but multiple sources say that no deal is gaining traction, and Arenado hasn't changed his stance about waiving his full no-trade clause to play for the Astros. "I don't feel anything is imminent," Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said on Saturday. "I can't comment or chase every rumor." The Astros circled back with the Cardinals on Arenado after Alex Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, but a source described a potential deal as a "non-starter." Another source said it's a "long shot" after Arenado already blocked a trade to the Astros in December. Although the Astros were initially listed on Arenado's list of five teams he'd consider waiving his no-trade clause for earlier this offseason, he ended up invoking his no-trade clause due to the timing of the deal after Houston just traded All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Houston Astros have begun to rekindle trade talks for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Earlier in the offseason, the third baseman refused to waive his no-trade clause to go to Houston. However, it appears the Astros have begun to express interest in a trade once again. Feinsand noted that Arenado may be inclined to join Houston as they brought in first baseman Christian Walker, who was not on the team yet when they first attempted to acquire Arenado. The Cardinals have expressed interest in shedding payroll throughout the offseason and have actively searched for a trade partner for Arenado. However, they were unable to get a deal done prior to spring training. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Arenado's status. If he were to get shipped to Houston, he would cover the hot corner, which would shift Isaac Paredes to the keystone and Jose Altuve to left field. Last season in St. Louis, Arenado held a .272/.325/.394 line with 16 long balls.
St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said on Thursday that third baseman Nolan Arenado is likely to remain with the team after the organization tried to trade him all offseason. "(Nolan Arenado) is likely going to be a part of our club at this point," Mozeliak said. The Cards had a deal in place with the Houston Astros in December, but Arenado, who has a full no-trade clause, turned it down. The Boston Red Sox were another suitor for the 33-year-old, but after signing Alex Bregman on Wednesday night, they are out of the picture. At least to open up the 2025 season, Arenado will be at third for St. Louis, with Nolan Gorman staying at second and Brendan Donovan primarily playing the outfield. The eight-time All-Star has seen his power decline in the last two seasons in St. Louis, and he's no longer a top-15 fantasy third baseman based on RotoBaller's 2025 rankings.
Cardinals Talking To Five Teams About Nolan Arenado
St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said he's been limited to talking to five teams that fit third baseman Nolan Arenado's wishes, and that group of teams hasn't grown as the official start of spring training nears. Mozeliak did not name the specific teams, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold lists the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. Arenado, who has a full no-trade clause, already nixed a trade to the Houston Astros earlier this offseason. The Padres are a new team that we haven't heard yet, and they'd be an interesting fit with Manny Machado already entrenched at third base, but Arenado has also said he'd be willing to shift across the diamond to first base to accommodate a trade to his liking. Fantasy-wise, Arenado's offensive numbers have been declining in recent seasons, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 19 third baseman.
Nolan Arenado Expected To Be Traded Before Opening Day
The St. Louis Cardinals haven't been able to trade veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado this offseason after he used his full no-trade clause to block a trade to the Houston Astros. However, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand thinks the Cardinals' will get something done and will have more urgency to deal Arenado before the start of spring training and the beginning of the 2025 regular season. "I would be surprised if Arenado is a Cardinal come Opening Day," Feinsand said. We know that Arenado would waive his no-trade clause to go to the Boston Red Sox, and Feinsand also says the New York Yankees are still kicking the tires on Arenado. The Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays could have some interest in acquiring Arenado, but Feinsand doesn't think Arenado would waive his no-trade clause to go to Detroit or Toronto. The 33-year-old has declined offensively the last several years but is still a great defender at third base.
Blaze Jordan Would Be Included In Package To Acquire Nolan Arenado
According to John Denton of MLB.com, Boston Red Sox first base prospect Blaze Jordan would likely be included in the package to acquire third baseman Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals. Denton noted that both teams have remained in discussions, and the Cardinals have shown interest in Jordan. St. Louis' president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, has said that moving Arenado would not only clear some salary for the team but also open up playing time for several young players on the roster, such as Thomas Saggese and Nolan Gorman. The Red Sox have been at the forefront of trade discussions for Arenado throughout the offseason. Blaze Jordan is ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the system, according to MLB.com. Last summer, Jordan hit seven home runs with a .261/.305/.388 line across 89 contests at Double-A. If the Red Sox were to acquire Arenado, Rafael Devers would likely shift to first base or the designated hitter spot.
According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have had recent communication about third baseman Nolan Arenado, per a source. If the trade talks move forward between the two teams, it could have immediate implications for free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman's market. Cardinals executive Chaim Bloom has close knowledge of Boston's prospects after previously serving as their general manager. If the BoSox were to trade for Arenado, it would likely mean Rafael Devers would move across the diamond to first base. The 33-year-old Arenado, who has declined offensively the last several seasons in St. Louis, already blocked a potential trade to the Houston Astros this offseason, but he's reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to Beantown. Arenado's power, exit velocity and fly balls were down considerably in 2024, but perhaps he can bounce back with a change of scenery.
Nolan Arenado
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