It's rare for a player in any professional sport to be fully content with one's own performance, the team's performance, the money one's making, and the overall living situation that comes with playing for a particular franchise. Thus, when one stumbles upon this rare situation, one must grab ahold of it and not let go. That's what elite third baseman Nolan Arenado is doing with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies in early 2021, and it has paid dividends both for franchise and player. Now 31 years of age, Arenado has landed in his ideal playing scenario, and he doesn't appear willing to leave anytime soon. And he proved as much when he opted into the rest of his contract with the Cardinals, staying with the franchise until at least the end of the 2027 season.

Speaking with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Arenado reiterated his commitment to the franchise, saying that he never really planned to leave the Cardinals after just two seasons in hopes of a bigger payday in free agency.

“I came here to be [in St. Louis]. I started a family in St. Louis. My daughter was born in St. Louis. I want to stay in St. Louis. That’s why I came here. I didn’t come here to leave after two years. That was never my plan,” Arenado said. ” I love St. Louis, I love the culture, I love playing here, [and] I love living here. I just want to hold up my end of the bargain in St. Louis.”

Nolan Arenado has already made the postseason as many times with the Cardinals in two seasons as he did for the entirety of his eight-year stint as a member of the Rockies. However, Arenado and the Cardinals just haven't been able to get over the Wild Card hump. Nevertheless, Arenado is here for the long haul, and he will have plenty of chances to make history with the team he calls home.

“I wanted to be here for the long run, I got traded here for a reason. I don’t want to be a letdown,” Arenado added.

In fact, Arenado even foresees a future where he spends the rest of his career in a Cardinals uniform. And with his elite brand of baseball at the hot corner, Cardinals fans will be more than delighted to have Arenado lock up third base for the foreseeable future.

“I could finish my career here,” Arenado said.