St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado was at the center of trade speculation throughout the offseason. However, with Spring Training underway, he remains with the team—and that isn’t expected to change. Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Cardinals president John Mozeliak stated there’s a strong likelihood Arenado will be on the Opening Day roster. Then, on Sunday, Mozeliak reinforced that stance, making it clear Arenado is set to start the season in St. Louis.
“We entered the offseason willing to explore trade possibilities, which we did,” Mozeliak said. “Ultimately, we didn’t reach a deal, so he remains a Cardinal. And simply put, with Nolan on our roster, we believe we’re a better team.”
Mozeliak was upfront about the situation—while the team explored trade options, they didn’t find a suitable deal, meaning Arenado will continue as a key piece of their lineup. Last season, Arenado played in 152 games, hitting 16 home runs with 71 RBIs and a .272 batting average. The year prior, in 2023, he hit 26 homers, drove in 93 runs, and batted .266 over 144 games.