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The Nolan Arenado trade talk is heating up again between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros, just one day after rumors swirled that the Astros were not interested.
MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported on Tuesday that the two sides have again discussed a deal for Arenado, but two days before the trade deadline, nothing is for certain.
“Nolan Arenado’s name has come up in trade talks between the Astros and Cardinals, but there’s no momentum toward a deal as of this morning,” he wrote via X.
At 34 years old and with two more years left on Arenado's contract, the rebuilding Cardinals tried desperately to move him last offseason. He had some value, too, even coming off the worst offensive season of his career. Last year, the eight-time All-Star still hit .272 with a respectable 101 OPS+. Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, was also still an excellent defensive third baseman.
Now, he's lost some luster. Arenado is hitting .235 with an 86 OPS+, seemingly confirming that his age is catching up with him. He's also making $32 million this year and is due $42 million more over the next two seasons, making his contract tough to move.
The Astros are again trying to trade for Nolan Arenado
This isn't the first time Houston has tried to trade for Arenado. The team, memorably, had a deal in place for him over the offseason, but the Cardinals third baseman would not waive his no-trade clause to allow the trade.
“Arenado opened up about the trade, saying Houston's approach to the offseason made him ‘uncomfortable' after the team traded Kyle Tucker,” Bleacher Report's Andrew Peters wrote in April.
That same trade brought third baseman Isaac Paredes to Houston instead. He has had an All-Star first season in Houston, hitting for a 130 OPS+ with 19 home runs, but was injured running the bases earlier this month and there is no timeline for his return.
With the Astros still in first place in the American League West, but scuffling through a rough July, the team's potential for an October run could appeal to Arenado even more. The vet is headed for Hall of Fame consideration, but has played a grand total of eight postseason games in his career.
No, the Cardinals aren't buried yet, but Arenado's best October bet right now may come in Houston.
