ST. LOUIS — Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, a seasoned team architect known for offseason acquisitions of impact players like Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray in pursuit of a championship, found this winter moving at an unusually slow pace.
This sluggishness, however, isn’t due to a lack of effort.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged during the opening day of the team’s Winter Warm-Up, that the organization’s efforts to upgrade the roster have been hindered by their inability to trade 10-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado. Arenado, who has three years and $74 million left on his contract, exercised his no-trade clause in mid-December to block a potential move to the Astros. Negotiations remain at an impasse, leaving the Cardinals’ plans for a 2025 “reset” in a holding pattern.
“Well, I’m hopeful,” Mozeliak said of a potential Arenado trade that would improve the team’s financial flexibility and create opportunities for younger players. “When you say ‘confident’ or ‘putting odds on it,’ I think it’s still a flip of a coin. I know that it’s a top priority for the organization and myself. So, I’ll be laser focused on that until it’s not.
“I think priority one, two, and three is still [trading] Nolan,” he added.
Historically a franchise with championship aspirations and a steadfast avoidance of rebuilding due to a passionate fan base, the Cardinals made a bold shift in direction after finishing 83-79. Looking ahead to 2025, they decided to cut costs in response to declining revenues from a reduced TV rights deal and the prospect of lower attendance. As part of this strategy, the team declined options on veteran pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, let Paul Goldschmidt walk in free agency, and pursued trades involving other veterans.
While Sonny Gray and catcher-turned-first baseman Willson Contreras—both with no-trade clauses—opted to stay, third baseman Nolan Arenado expressed interest in moving elsewhere. At 33, Arenado has seen a notable decline in power numbers over the past two seasons, complicating trade efforts.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged the possibility that Arenado could still be with the team when full-squad Spring Training begins in Jupiter, Fla., on Feb. 17. However, the organization hopes to avoid this scenario, as it would hinder their rebuilding plans.
“It is the linchpin, but there is nothing that I can do to move it faster,” Mozeliak said. “We are in a holding pattern, and all I ask is for a little patience on this, because regardless of what I want to do or the team wants to do, that’s not how this works.”
Sonny Gray, who joined the Cardinals on a three-year, $75 million deal in November 2023, was surprised by the team’s decision to shift toward a rebuild. Despite the opportunity to be traded, Gray expressed his commitment to staying with St. Louis to continue fostering relationships with teammates and management.
Gray remains optimistic about the team’s potential to outperform expectations in 2025.
“I’m not sold that we can’t win here,” said Gray, who posted a 13-9 record with a 3.84 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings during his first season with the Cardinals. “If you look at the talent, especially on the position player side, those guys have to take it over. You know, it turns into their clubhouse. Now it’s their team. We as older guys, I think it’s our job to lead them and mentor them, but also let them spread their wings and let them fly.”
Brendan Donovan, part of a promising young core that features players like Masyn Winn, Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar, Alec Burleson, and Andre Pallante, emphasized the importance of Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras reaffirming their commitment to the Cardinals.
Donovan expressed confidence that the blend of youthful talent and seasoned veterans could pave the way for unexpected success in 2025, despite the team’s rebuilding efforts.
Brendan Donovan pushed back against the idea that the Cardinals are cutting payroll or not aiming to win, saying, “I don’t see that at all. I see this as an opportunity to shock a lot of people. When you look around, on paper, it’s a good-looking roster in my opinion. I think this team is going to shock a lot of people.”
However, any further additions to the roster are unlikely until the team deals Nolan Arenado.
“For now, I’d like to say it’s business as usual, but it’s not because it’s very different,” John Mozeliak admitted. “But we’ll continue to try to find a place that he is happy with being.”
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