The Angels, who just had their worst season ever in 2024, were very ambitious in the summer, making both moves they could and could not make to move past the franchise’s lowest point. They signed Yusei Kikuchi and traded for Jorge Soler, but they also passed out signing Pete Alonso and dealing for Nolan Arenado of the Cardinals, who reportedly had mentioned the Angels as a team for whom he would waive his no-trade clause.
According to Bob Nightengale of The USA Today, Perry Minasian and the Angels’ front staff intended to bring the future Hall of Famer to Anaheim, even if the Arenado-Angels trade rumors weren’t exactly generating headlines until that news was shown to be untrue:
“The St. Louis Cardinals are not receiving any interest in third baseman Nolan Arenado after he rejected trades this winter to the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels.”
Angels, did he just say that? Let’s examine this and act as though this isn’t another Bob Blunder.
MLB insider lets unfortunate Nolan Arenado-Angels rumor slip in latest column
The Cardinals were aggressively pursuing deals for Arenado in order to cut salary moving into 2025. Fans and analysts projected Arenado to wind up a member of the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox or Houston Astros during trade rumor season. Nobody anticipated that Arenado would accept a trade to the Angels, their division foe, after he rejected a move to Houston. If the Nightengale claim is accurate, it would be fascinating to learn whether the Angels made an attempt to sign Arenado before to or following his decision to leave Houston.
Few fans anticipated that the always frugal Angels would really pay the majority of Arenado’s salary (he has three years and $52 million left on his contract) and sacrifice prospects from their empty pipeline in order to sign a 34-year-old who had just finished two disappointing seasons in St. Louis. As it happens, they really did wish to do that! Kudos to them for attempting, even if it would have been an imperfect match. Again, this is presuming Nightengale is saying the two parties had a deal in place that would have gone through had Arenado did not have to give it the OK.
It seems natural that the Angels would try to turn things around with a guy like Arenado, a dependable veteran who excels in the clubhouse and has a relationship with Mike Trout (via Team USA). Since they acquired Anthony Rendon, their third base position has been a complete clown car. It doesn’t hurt that it would have boosted ticket and merchandising sales, and his leadership and defense are a force multiplier for the teams he plays for.
Luis Rengifo and Yoán Moncada at third base have been key for the Angels this season. Even though Moncada is significantly less expensive and has a higher OBP, SLG, and OPS than Arenado at this stage of the season, Arenado has played in more than twice as many games. Fans who are tired of being the league’s laughingstock will find it difficult to accept that the Angels are better off without a guy headed to Cooperstown.
