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J.P. Hoornstra writes and edits Major League Baseball content. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers in California, J.P. covered MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels (occasionally of Anaheim) from 2012-23 for the Southern California News Group. His first book, The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All-Time, published in 2015. In 2016, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage. He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors.
Contributing Sports Writer
Nolan Arenado is set to report to spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals in spite of their front office's efforts.
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The Cardinals are still trying to trade the eight-time All-Star, who is not part of the team's long-term plans as they look to field a younger roster in 2025. According to John Denton of MLB.com, St. Louis engaged with three teams — the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers — about possible "restructured" trades for Arenado.
Arenado's no-trade clause effectively allows him to choose where he plays in 2025 — so long as another team wants him. The Red Sox, perhaps frustrated in their attempts to add to their infield via free agency, have been linked to Arenado for months.
The Yankees currently have Oswaldo Cabrera listed as the top third baseman on their depth chart. The Dodgers have Max Muncy, himself a former All-Star. The Red Sox infield is no less crowded, with All-Star Rafael Devers at third base and prospects Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell trying to push their way into the infield in 2025.
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But Muncy has made it clear he's willing to move elsewhere to accommodate Arenado. Devers was a poor fielder in 2024, and the Red Sox might be better served by moving him to second base. Cabrera is a career .233/.291/.352 hitter with experience at seven positions, and the Yankees would surely have no problem moving him into a utility role to accommodate Arenado.
So what's the hold-up? Money.
Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three years, with the Colorado Rockies on the hook for $10 million as part of their 2021 trade with the Cardinals.
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The Cardinals were willing to send $15-20 million to the Houston Astros to help pay down Arenado's salary in a trade, according to sources cited by MLB.com. But Arenado reportedly blocked a proposed trade to Houston that would have allowed him to fill the shoes of free agent Alex Bregman.
According to Denton, Boston would prefer to sign Bregman, but is in a bidding war with at least two other teams. He also notes that first baseman Blaze Jordan, the No. 22 prospect in the Red Sox's system, came up in discussions between the Cardinals and Red Sox.
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