Did Nolan Arenado’s trade play out? Nope. But was Arenado hoping to? Yes. All offseason the Cardinals said that their priority was trading Arenado. One, because they wanted to free up playtime for the third baseman for a different Nolan. Nolan Gorman. Second, the club wanted to get rid of a player and reduce their payroll. But none of it panned out as Nolan Arenado thought it would.

Arenado had a no-trade clause, and he did not accept it when a team not of his choosing tried to get him. The Houston Astros had presented an offer to the Cardinals for Arenado, but Arenado did not want to go to Houston. Now, the player has accepted that he will play for the Cardinals this season too and is ready for it, as he reported for spring training on February 16th.

The Cardinals welcome back their third baseman after the trade fails. 

Before the training began, Nolan Arenado and John Mozeliak, the Cardinal’s baseball operations president, talked with the media. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Nolan stressed that things were cordial between him and the team and that he does not have any issues playing for them. The 10-time Golden Glove winner also had made it clear to the front office that he was not “demanding” a trade.

Apparently the 33-year-old just wanted to be in a team that is trying to win a championship or at least was closer to one. While both parties did not achieve what they wanted, the Cardinals did get close to achieving their target. St. Louis did not sign any big free agents this offseason; ergo, the club will not have to worry about money going out of their pockets this season. But what does Arenado’s return to the team mean?

Implications that the Nolan Arenado return might have

With Nolan Arenado’s return, we expect to see Nolan Gorman getting more action at second base and designated hitter, while Brendan Donovan takes over in left field. That shuffle opens up an exciting competition in center field, with Lars Nootbaar looking to prove himself against Michael Siani and Victor Scott II.

Despite some off-season speculation about possible changes, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak made it clear that Arenado’s return to the clubhouse is a positive. “With Nolan on our team, we feel we’re a better team,” he said, setting a high bar for the 2025 season. There won’t be a free-agent shopping spree—it’s all about the roster as it stands, with Arenado front and center, ready to push the team forward.

Arenado himself is motivated, acknowledging that a down year in 2024—where he posted a career-low .394 slugging and just 16 home runs—may have sparked those trade rumors. “If I was a better player last year, maybe things would be different,” Arenado reflected. But with his body feeling strong and his focus locked in, he’s determined to come back better than ever in 2025. Fans can expect an even more determined Nolan as he looks to make up for the past and help lead the Cardinals to success.