As the St. Louis Cardinals prepare for the 2026 MLB season, there are two large contracts on the books that John Mozeliak and company have to navigate: Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado.
On paper, Gray and Arenado are both still very good players who kept the Cardinals around .500 in 2024 and could have value to another team interested in a win-now upgrade in the field. But in order to get a deal done that sets St. Louis up for the future, USA Today's Bob Nightengale believes the Cards will have to eat some money to make a move, especially for Gray, whose options are limited because of a no-trade clause.
“Gray is one of the finest starters on the trade block, but he’s also earning $35 million this year and has a full no-trade clause,” Nightengale wrote. “He has a $30 million club option in 2027. The Cardinals will have to eat some of the contract if they want to move him.”
Arenado, too, has a no-trade clause and rejected a pair of deals last season, but considering his age and the direction the Cardinals are heading, Nightengale doesn't see a world where he is viewed as a positive asset on his current cap hit. Still, the Cardinals might have to eat some money to get back a better asset, as his current deal may steer some teams away.
“He rejected deals to the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels a year ago,” Nightengale wrote. “This time around, he may not say no to anybody and will be willing to waive his no-trade clause to get out of town. The Cardinals will have to pay down some of the remaining $31 million left on his contract through 2027.”
Will Gray and Arenado finish out the 2026 season on the Cardinals' roster? Probably not, as they are win-now players on a roster with a more long-term view and could help to set up the next great era of Cardinals baseball. But to get the kind of prospects they need to do that, St. Louis might have to eat some money in the short-term to get where they want to be down the line.
