Nolan Arenado, the St. Louis Cardinals’ All-Star third baseman, knows his time with the team may be coming to an end. Amid trade rumors throughout the offseason, Arenado hit a crucial home run in the eighth inning of Thursday’s 5-3 win over the Minnesota Twins, prompting a curtain call from the Busch Stadium crowd. The fans’ enthusiastic support during pregame introductions deeply motivated him. “The way they cheered for me meant a lot, and it got me motivated. I was fortunate to give them something to cheer about,” Arenado said.
Arenado, a 12-year veteran and 10-time Gold Glove winner, has hit his fair share of key home runs during his four years with the Cardinals. However, last season he posted his lowest number of home runs (16) and worst OPS (.719) since 2013. Still, he remained a sought-after trade candidate during the offseason. Despite interest, Arenado has a no-trade clause and declined a potential move to the Houston Astros. There have been no significant updates on a possible trade recently.
The Cardinals have missed the postseason the past two years, with their last playoff win coming in the shortened 2020 season. Arenado still has three years and $52 million remaining on his eight-year, $260 million contract signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2019. “There’s a lot of uncertainty going through your head. I didn’t know if this would be my last time,” Arenado admitted.
