Best Available MLB Players on 2023 Trade Block: Nolan Arenado
Nolan Arenado knows what it’s like to be traded. After being sent to the Cardinals, it felt like St. Louis would be his permanent home. However, the Cardinals are in fourth place in the NL Central and are getting ready to sell at the trade deadline. It seems unlikely, but there’s a chance Arenado is moved by then.
The Numbers
Stats as of July 21, 2023: .287/.336/.526, 21 HR, 74 RBI, 2.4 fWAR
After finishing third in the NL MVP voting last year, Arenado is continuing his hot hitting. While the offense has stayed consistent, his defense has taken a drastic turn.
For the first time in his career, Arenado’s defensive runs saved is in the negatives at -6. He’s won 11 Gold Gloves in a row since joining the league, which is the most among active players. If he doesn’t improve those numbers, it could be the first time in his career that he walks away without a Gold Glove.
One bad year doesn’t take away from the fact he’s one of the best third basemen in baseball, and if he is to be traded, it’ll be a hefty price.
Potential Destinations
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Arenado won’t be traded unless he requests the move. As of now, no such request has been made, and Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak doesn’t believe it’ll happen.
Let’s say it does happen because there are plenty of teams in need of a third baseman. Mets fans are still in denial about how much their team sucks. Instead of wanting to sell, they want Steve Cohen to go out and trade for Arenado. Whether they have the star third baseman or not, the Mets are still going to miss the playoffs and remain a joke with Billy Eppler.
The Yankees are another team that could use Arenado, but they need a lot more help than just him. Brian Cashman has already killed the Yankees’ farm, and taking on another big contract isn’t going to make them World Series contenders.
Since Max Muncy has fallen off a cliff, the Dodgers could always use the extra help. They’ll still be kicked out of the playoffs by the Braves, but Milo Coulter would sure be happy and blow up our Slack messages.
The Verdict
Since Arenado hasn’t requested a trade this late into July, I don’t see him changing his mind. The Cardinals are struggling, but they definitely aren’t a team that needs to restart. He also isn’t a free agent until after the 2027 season, and he declined his opt-out last year to stay in St. Louis. He clearly likes playing for the Cardinals, so it’s safe to bet he’ll stay put past the Aug. 1 deadline.
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