The St. Louis Cardinals’ primary goal this offseason was to trade star third baseman Nolan Arenado, but after several unsuccessful attempts, the fan favorite remains with the struggling team.
With Opening Day fast approaching and just weeks left, the chances of Arenado being traded before then are extremely slim. His full no-trade clause severely limits the Cardinals’ options, leaving the team to possibly wait for a deal later in the summer.
Still, Arenado is frequently mentioned as a potential trade target for the New York Yankees, the defending American League champions. A major trade, possibly involving a former Chicago Cubs pitcher, could help the Cardinals find a new home for the star.
“I’ve been saying this since spring training began: it makes so much sense for me to bring Arenado to New York,” said Michael Kay, long-time Yankees broadcaster for YES Network, in a recent interview with the New York Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman.
Although there are mixed rumors about whether the Yankees are interested in trading for Arenado, the five-time Silver Slugger remains a strong candidate for the Hall of Fame and is eager for a World Series title, much like the Yankees, who are enduring a 15-year championship drought.
“I’ve heard that the Yankees aren’t too high on him, but with the combination of Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza, I’m not sure you’d feel too comfortable going into the season with that,” Kay continued. “They can handle the defense, but even if Arenado has a drop-off, he’s still far from a bad player. If the Yankees could convince the Cardinals to take Marcus Stroman, I’d make that deal.”
Stroman, a two-time All-Star and former Cubs starter, has a hefty $18.5 million salary for 2025, with an $18 million vesting option for the next season.
Given that the Cardinals are focused on lowering payroll this year as part of a team reset, trading for Stroman and his expensive contract may not be a smart move for them.
Unless the Yankees are willing to take on the full $64 million remaining on Arenado’s contract, it’s hard to see the Cardinals agreeing to a trade for Stroman, especially after his below-average 95 ERA+ in 2024.
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