Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals is not moving to the Astros for the time being

Despite the St. Louis Cardinals’ intentions to trade him, Nolan Arenado isn’t close to making a decision about his future just yet.

The athlete It was first reported on Saturday that the Houston Astros had emerged as legitimate suitors for Arenado. By the end of the weekend, the Astros had completed a deal to acquire the third baseman, and there was a growing feeling within the organization that it would land the eight-time All-Star.

According to multiple league sources, Arenado instead declined to waive his no-trade clause, preferring not to make a decision this early in the offseason. That decision, first reported by MLB.com on Wednesday, is not final and the Cardinals and Astros will continue discussions. It’s unclear whether the Astros will continue to pursue Arenado heavily or move on to other options.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak first approached Arenado with the idea of ​​a trade in the final week of the regular season, citing a desire to reduce payroll and focus on player development.

Arenado, who opted out of the remainder of his contract with St. Louis at the end of the 2022 season, agreed with the concept. He presented Mozeliak with a short list of teams he would be willing to waive his full no-trade clause for. That list originally included the Astros, although a source said Houston’s trade of Kyle Tucker and uncertainty over Alex Bregman’s return may have changed Arenado’s mind.

The Cardinals are financially motivated to trade Arenado, who is owed $74 million over the next three seasons. According to a league source, the Cardinals would have to pay about $5 million each year if Arenado agreed to the trade. Houston would pay the rest of the bill, which would be around $45 million after accounting for deferrals.

(Photo by Nolan Arenado: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)