BREAKING: Cardinals reopen Nolan Arenado trade talks with prominent suitor, is he finally leaving?

The St. Louis Cardinals and their supporters have focused on Nolan Arenado this offseason, with President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak stating at the Winter Warm-Ups that trading the third baseman is “priority one, two, and three” for the franchise.

However, the Cardinals have had a much more difficult time finding a market for Arenado than they anticipated, and a trade has yet to occur. They had a deal in place with the Houston Astros, but Arenado used his no-trade clause to reject it. The Cardinals have insisted that whoever receives Arenado take on the majority of his contract, which has caused several teams, notably the New York Yankees, to balk at the prospect of taking on the declining superstar.

But, just as the prospect of Arenado remaining a Cardinal in 2025 was gathering traction, MLB insider Jon Morosi revealed that the Cardinals were recently negotiating an Arenado trade with the Boston Red Sox.

Arenado stated earlier this offseason that he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to join Boston, which may be hoping to improve at the hot corner by shifting the defensively iffy Rafael Devers to first base.

The most intriguing component of the Red Sox’s interest in Arenado is Chaim Bloom’s relationship with the team. Bloom, who will succeed Mozeliak in 2026, formerly had a post with the Red Sox that was identical to Mozeliak’s with the Cardinals. As a result, Bloom has extensive knowledge of Boston’s minor league prospects, many of whom he drafted, which could benefit the Cardinals in terms of the quality of talent that they will acquire.

However, the move could quickly morph into a chess match between Bloom and Boston’s chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, of “Does he know?” vs. “Does he know I know?” in terms of the probable inclusion of young prospects in the transaction.

The Cardinals may yet be able to get rid of Arenado, which would be extremely advantageous for young players competing for opportunities, such as Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese, and Alec Burleson. If the teams can reach an agreement, the Cardinals’ offseason may be salvaged.