The New York Yankees didn’t appear too interested in Nolan Arenado as the St. Louis Cardinals were muddling through their preseason, fence-straddling funk. They’re probably… similarly disinterested in paying an increasing price for a player who’s probably no longer on the table now that Arenado has woken up and shown he has more left in the tank! Lose, lose, lose.
Especially for the Yankees, Arenado’s previous tendencies make him unpalatable at his current (financial and prospect) cost going into the 2025 season. They were hesitant to sign him even on a three-year contract worth $30.5 million because of his recurrent back problems. His swing, customized for somebody else’s ballpark with different spacing, felt like an easily-foreseen blunder. His defensive prowess and connection with Paul Goldschmidt were not enough to offset the built-in regression and astronomically high contract.
Now, though, the Yankees seem like a contender with the same apparent deficit they started the season with. The parade of choices now must circulate with a bit more vigor after Oswaldo Cabrera’s terrible injury. The Yankees have lost both their most dependable depth player and one of their sparks. In the midst of tragedy, Arenado has recovered from his slump to open the season with a 115 OPS+ (falling a little recently, but still above average) and hit.264. Goldschmidt’s personal appeals may have even greater significance now, given his recent comeback.
With a nine-game winning run, however, the Cardinals have no need to back down from their high offseason demand. After all, Arenado has only gotten better, and they are in the middle of a playoff race.
Yankees can’t afford Nolan Arenado, who won’t be available at MLB trade deadline if Cardinals keep surging
Along with his Cardinals teammates, Arenado is now “excited to come to the ballpark,” suggesting that something special may be developing in his present residence. Why would he risk everything for a team that showed little interest in him in March if he was reluctant to surrender his no-trade clause to Houston and Anaheim months earlier?
Unless DJ LeMahieu’s freakish minor-league explosion turns out to be a Trent Grisham-like comeback, the Yankees will be in the third base market this summer. However, they had no intention of taking on the hazardous expense of Arenado’s deal this offseason, and a few mediocre months won’t persuade them to change their minds.
Furthermore, the Cardinals think that the enthusiasm in St. Louis might endure all summer long, especially now that Masyn Winn has made a dramatic comeback. They also have a number of reliable roster players. Check off this Yankees solution if you haven’t already at spring training.
