Nolan Arenado has been a major focus for St. Louis Cardinals fans this offseason, and that includes President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak. He openly admitted that his biggest concern in any trade discussions is the possibility of Arenado bouncing back with another team.
“I can candidly say of all the trade conversations I’ve been in, (an Arenado bounce-back year) is what scares me the most. I think great players have that extra gear and when they find it, they’re special.”
— John Mozeliak
Mozeliak’s worry over Arenado potentially thriving elsewhere seems to be weighing on him. As he heads into his final year in charge of the Cardinals’ roster, his honesty about the situation reflects the organization’s growing hesitation to part ways with talent too soon.
The lingering impact of trading away Randy Arozarena—who blossomed into a star after leaving St. Louis—has clearly influenced the Cardinals’ approach. Mozeliak has admitted that deal was a mistake, and since then, the team has been reluctant to let players go at their peak value. Instead, they have often held onto them too long, only to see their stock decline. Dylan Carlson serves as a prime example—once considered untouchable by Mozeliak, he was eventually dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays for just 11 games of reliever Shawn Armstrong.
At first glance, Mozeliak’s approach seems overly cautious. A team executive can’t afford to hesitate when making moves that could improve the roster, especially if moving Arenado opens the door for the next generation of Cardinals stars.
However, there’s a possibility that Mozeliak is using his remarks as a strategic move. By emphasizing Arenado’s value and his own reluctance to trade him, he might be trying to create leverage in negotiations.
“I would not bet against him; I’d bet on him. And I was afraid someone else was going to get that if we traded him. He’s a special player and he can still do things that many can’t.”
— John Mozeliak
Mozeliak understands that he doesn’t have the upper hand in trade discussions for Arenado. His public statements could be an attempt at reverse psychology—making it seem as though the Cardinals are comfortable keeping him in order to increase interest from other teams.
Another possibility is that Mozeliak genuinely wants to retain Arenado as part of his legacy with the Cardinals. Ownership may be pushing for a trade to shed salary, but Mozeliak, with nothing to lose in his final season, might be resisting that pressure to avoid his last major move being the departure of a star player.
Fans frustrated by the Cardinals’ indecisiveness have every reason to be critical if Mozeliak’s reluctance has stalled an Arenado trade. But there’s also a chance this is just another smokescreen, with Mozeliak looking to position the Cardinals for a last-minute deal on more favorable terms.