Nolan Arenado was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason, giving the 13-year veteran a new home. Despite being a veteran, Arenado is still recognized as one of the best two-way third basemen in MLB. In a recent interview, he admitted that his defensive expectations are still incredibly high.

While sitting down with Jake Garzia of 12 Sports Arizona, the 34-year-old star claimed that his goal in 2026 is to win the Gold Glove. Or, at the very least, play at that level. Arenado also opened up about the different steps he has to take in preparation late in his career.

“I can't take ground balls every day now, you know, like I used to,” said Arenado. “I used to be ableto take ground balls nonstop every day and be like, ‘I'm great to go tomorrow.' Now, I gotta be smarter about it. I gotta take my days here and there, as far as work load goes. I have to be in the gym a little bit more…

“The fact that I'm able to move well, make my throws, and not feel so sore the next day or that night, I think that's a great sign for me as a 34-year-old,” continued Arenado. “But there's no reason why I shouldn't be in the running for the Gold Glove again. That's what I expect.”

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Nolan Arenado has won 10 Gold Gloves in his career. However, his last Gold Glove came in 2022. So, the eight-time All-Star will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to win the highly coveted award once again. But staying healthy will be key.

Arenado will be joining the Diamondbacks after having a 2025 season to forget with the Cardinals. He missed a chunk of playing time due to a right shoulder strain and was a bit inefficient by his standards when he was on the field. Arenado ended last season with a .237 batting average (career-low) and .289 OBP (career-low). He also recorded 95 hits, 12 home runs, and 52 RBIs through 401 at-bats.