Nolan Arenado has already demonstrated a willingness to exercise his no-trade clause with the St. Louis Cardinals, likely because the veteran infielder has his sights set on a specific team.
The Cardinals reportedly came close to trading Arenado to the Houston Astros recently, but he declined the deal. The decision raised eyebrows, as the 33-year-old has expressed a desire to play for a contender, and Houston has made the playoffs in each of the past eight seasons.
According to John Denton of MLB.com, Arenado is keen on joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Denton notes that while the Dodgers are interested, they are downplaying their pursuit to maintain leverage.
“Nolan Arenado wants the Dodgers to be his destination. That’s his top choice. That’s where he still wants to go,” Denton explained. “The Dodgers have downplayed their interest, pointing to Max Muncy being on the roster to start the season.
“Don’t be fooled by that — the Dodgers still want Arenado. They’re simply trying to gain an advantage by appearing less interested, possibly to reduce the financial burden. Until the Dodgers explicitly rule him out, Arenado seems likely to hold out for that option.”
Arenado is under contract for $52 million over the next three seasons. The Cardinals were reportedly willing to cover $15-20 million of that to facilitate a trade to Houston, but Arenado refused.
Despite a slight decline in performance during the 2024 season, where he hit .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs, Arenado has been one of baseball’s most consistent hitters over the past decade. While a trade is widely anticipated, the Dodgers likely recognize that Arenado prefers to play for them. With his full no-trade clause, that preference gives Los Angeles considerable leverage.
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