Former Cardinals Draft Bust May Be Forcing Nolan Arenado Out of St. Louis
The St. Louis Cardinals may already have Nolan Arenado’s successor in-house.
During the offseason, the Cardinals actively explored trading veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado. Although the Houston Astros showed interest, Arenado used his full no-trade clause to reject a move, opting to stay put.
Now nearing the midpoint of the 2025 season, the Cardinals surprisingly find themselves in the playoff hunt. Even Arenado has admitted he didn’t expect the team to stay competitive. He’s currently batting .249 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs and remains an elite defender at third. But at 34 years old and in his 13th MLB season, Arenado clearly isn’t part of the team’s long-term plans.
Enter Nolan Gorman, a former first-round pick who is beginning to rise. At just 25 years old, Gorman may be positioning himself to take over at third. Though his overall stats — a .222 average, seven home runs, and 25 RBIs in 56 games — don’t jump off the page, he’s turned things around lately. Gorman had a strong June, hitting .267 with a .353 OBP, a .547 slugging percentage, six home runs, and 16 RBIs over 24 games.
As the 2025 trade deadline approaches, the Cardinals face a pivotal decision. If they continue to contend, they’ll likely look to add talent. But moving Arenado could be a bold strategy that both strengthens their current roster and sets them up for future success.
Arenado is under contract through 2027 on a hefty salary. If the team believes Gorman is ready to step in permanently, they could explore trading Arenado this season. While it may seem risky to part ways with a player who’s still productive, shedding his contract could allow the Cardinals to acquire multiple high-impact players instead of just one.
Teams in contention would welcome Arenado’s leadership, gold-glove defense, and still-dangerous bat. For the Cardinals, this could be the chance to maximize value and reshape the roster for both now and later.
In the end, it all depends on how aggressive St. Louis wants to be as they chase an unexpected 2025 playoff push. While few saw them as contenders, baseball often delivers surprises — and the Cardinals might just be the next one.
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