As the St. Louis Cardinals enter a rebuilding phase under president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, Nolan Arenado has consistently been on the trade market, though discussions haven’t progressed as the team had hoped.
The Cardinals remain intent on finding the best possible trade for Arenado, but ESPN’s Buster Olney notes there’s a chance St. Louis could be forced to release him if interest doesn’t materialize.
“Other teams believe Brandon Donovan is going to be dealt by the St. Louis Cardinals — and it’ll be really interesting to see if St. Louis eventually just opts to release Nolan Arenado, given the decline in his performance the past couple of years, the saturation of the corner-infield market and the fact that the Cards are in a rebuild mode,” Olney wrote.
Arenado is scheduled to count $31 million against the payroll over the next two seasons before reaching free agency, a figure that may deter potential suitors. The Cardinals could offer to cover a portion of his contract, but this may mean demanding higher-quality prospects in return.
Recent performance is another concern. In 107 games in 2025, Arenado batted .237 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs, raising questions about a possible ongoing decline.
Releasing Arenado would eliminate some of these worries, as any new team would negotiate a different contract. But if a trade is the chosen route, certain conditions will likely remain in play. The longer Arenado remains on the market during the offseason, the more pressure builds on St. Louis to make a definitive choice regarding his future.