Nolan Arenado Has Decision to Make After Cardinals-Mets Trade

Nolan Arenado Has Decision to Make After Cardinals-Mets Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The St. Louis Cardinals are tearing down their roster in a seller’s market with a clear goal of competing in the future after falling out of playoff contention.

On Wednesday, St. Louis dealt All-Star closer Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets for three minor-league prospects: shortstop Jesus Baez and right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt.

With the Cardinals signaling a rebuild by acquiring players still years from the big leagues, third baseman Nolan Arenado recently met with President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak to discuss his future.

The 34-year-old star holds a full no-trade clause in his contract, giving him the right to veto any deal, though he’s already named a list of acceptable destinations.

Arenado now faces a decision: expand his list of acceptable destinations, request a move to a contender or remain with St. Louis as they reset their roster.

“We’ll see. I’ve got some things to take care of first,” Arenado said via MLB.com’s John Denton. “It’ll probably be fine [without a trade], but we’ll let it play out and see where it goes.”

Since joining the Cardinals before the 2021 season, he’s earned three straight All-Star selections to open his tenure. In 697 games in St. Louis, Arenado owns a .266 batting average, .779 OPS, 116 home runs and 415 RBIs.

Arenado has two years remaining on his deal after 2025, making his choice one of baseball’s most substantial decisions this July. With the trade deadline fast approaching, his decision could accelerate the Cardinals’ rebuilding timeline.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.