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Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado is willing to move from 3B to make trade to a contender easier, according to agent

Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado is willing to move from 3B to make trade to a contender easier, according to agent

St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Monday that “it is my intention to try” to trade eight-time All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado this winter.

Arenado, who has a full no-trade clause, is willing to facilitate a deal and even willing to change positions if it gets him where he wants to go. That’s what Arenado’s agent Joel Wolfe said, speaking to reporters Tuesday at the winter meetings in Dallas.

“Nolan is willing to seriously consider it if it’s the right place, but he’s not going to just go anywhere,” Wolfe said, according to ESPN. Wolfe added that Arenado “wants to win.”

Arenado is a 10-time Gold Glove winner at third base, but he appears to have no qualms about making a move, even to first base, as long as he’s fit for the target.

“Nolan said, ‘I’m going to play shortstop. I’ll do anything, but I don’t feel insulted about being the first to play and I can win a Gold Glove,'” Wolfe said.

While he may not mind a position change, Arenado apparently has some thoughts about which teams can use him. According to John Denton of MLB.com, Arenado is open to accepting trades to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets or Boston Red Sox.

Arenado is the best defensive third baseman of his generation and has carried an exceptional bat throughout his career. He is a three-time NL home run champion and twice led the NL in RBI with the Colorado Rockies. But he has never played for a contender and has appeared in just eight playoff games over his 12-year career with the Rockies and Cardinals.

The Cardinals traded for Arenado in 2021 in the midst of a streak of four consecutive postseason appearances. Then they missed the playoffs in 2023 and 2024, and now it makes sense for both sides to negotiate a trade since St. Louis isn’t among next season’s World Series contenders.

Arenado must pay $74 million over the final three seasons of an eight-year, $260 million extension he signed with the Rockies in 2019. He also showed signs of decline last season, slashing .272/.325/.391 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI. The home run and RBI totals are the lowest of his career in a non-COVID-shortened season since 2014.

At 33 years old, he is no longer the player he once was. But he can definitely provide value to a contender looking to improve their infield.

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