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In the continued odyssey of a possible trade involving St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, the Houston Astros have emerged as a team that could be in huge consideration of acquiring the infielder. Even though there have been some who say the Astros shouldn't trade for Arenado, they could be in the market for that kind of player since the thought is that Alex Bregman will be elsewhere, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
“In perhaps the clearest sign the organization is moving on from Alex Bregman,” Rome wrote. “The Houston Astros have emerged as a serious suitor for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, multiple league sources told The Athletic on Saturday.”
“No deal is believed to be imminent,” Rome continued. “But conversations between the Cardinals and Astros have increased since this week’s Winter Meetings in Dallas, during which Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged he ‘intends to try' moving Arenado.”
It's “unclear” if Nolan Arenado would waive no-trade clause for Astros
Arenado would reportedly waive his no-trade clause only for six teams, with the Astros not being one of them, which is an area that Rome debates if the star would do or not. If a deal would go down between the Cardinals and the Astros, the latter would ask the former to “help pay down” since he is owed $74 million in the next three seasons.
“Arenado’s no-trade clause gives him ultimate authority to dictate the process,” Rome wrote. “And it’s unclear whether he’d waive it to join Houston. Arenado is owed $74 million across the next three seasons, a sum the Astros will ask the Cardinals to help pay down.”
“Arenado, 33, is a 10-time Gold Glove winner, an eight-time All-Star, and considered one of this generation’s greatest defensive third basemen,” Rome continued. “His offense dipped last season, one in which he posted a 101 OPS+ and hit just 16 home runs. Arenado still boasts an .857 lifetime OPS and the sort of minuscule strikeout rate Houston is searching for this winter.”
Nolan Arenado interest from Astros could call Alex Bregman's future
As Rome said, the numbers were down last season for the 33-year-old as he also sported a .272 batting average to go with 71 RBIs along with the 16 home runs, but Houston would still get a dynamic player. It was also reported that Arenado would be open to playing first base if a team needed it.
It would also insinuate that the Astros are moving on from Bregman, who has been with the team since 2016.
“If the Astros do acquire Arenado, it would all but end any chances of a reunion with Bregman, one of the faces of Houston’s golden era,” Rome wrote. “And someone general manager Dana Brown called the team’s ‘biggest priority' this winter.”
“According to both USA Today and MLB.com, Houston has a six-year, $156 million offer on the table for Bregman, who should command a contract with far more guaranteed money,” Rome continued. “This week, Brown would not answer whether the Astros have made Bregman another offer but reiterated his optimism for a reunion.”
The Astros recently traded Kyle Tucker as the team is going through major changes currently as they finished with an 88-73 record and won the AL West but would lose in the wild-card round to the Detroit Tigers.
