MLB Rumors: Dodgers Offseason Target Nolan Arenado Traded to Cardinals
In a blockbuster trade, the Colorado Rockies have agreed to send All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals in a move that shakes up the National League. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal among others reported the trade.
BREAKING: Cardinals have agreed to acquire Nolan Arenado from Rockies, sources tell @TheAthletic. Deal pending approval from both MLB and players’ union; Rockies sending Cardinals significant cash, believed to be in $50M range, and Arenado will be deferring money.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021
According to sources, St. Louis may send up to 5 prospects back to Colorado in the trade. Moreover, the Rockies are reportedly sending $50 million to the Cardinals to offset the remaining money on Arenado’s 8-year deal inked ahead of the 2019 season.
Notably, the Platinum Glove award winner has an opt-out clause in his contract following the 2021 season. As part of the transaction, Rosenthal added the following detail.
If deal between Rockies and Cardinals is finalized, Arenado will keep his opt out after 2021, get an additional opt out after 2022 and retain his full no-trade clause, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021
Of course, Dodgers fans have long wished for Nolan Arenado in Dodger blue. The Newport Beach, CA native has been linked to Los Angeles time and time again over the years, including heavily early this offseason. In fact, one MLB analyst went as far as to predict that the third baseman would be a Dodger by Christmas… of 2020. But instead, he heads to the NL Central.
Related: Expert Predicts Nolan Arenado Will Be a Dodger By Christmas
Deal unlikely to be official tonight and maybe even not this weekend. Arenado will need to formally waive his no-trade clause and his opt-out after 2021 also must be addressed. Approvals from MLB and union necessary as well, as reported in initial tweet. https://t.co/xuCNkaD5kq
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021
The deal may not be official until the weekend or early next week at the latest. With Arenado’s departure from Colorado, the competition in the National League West gets even weaker with only Los Angeles and the San Diego Padres expected to be contenders.
For the Dodgers, the focus remains on re-signing third baseman Justin Turner.
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NEXT: Joc Pederson Leaves LA for Cubs, Trevor Bauer Update, 4 LA Prospects Make Top 100
“Dodgers Offseason Target Nolan Arenado Traded to Cardinals” BIT of a stretch calling it a “target.”
So does this make it more likely or less likely the Dodgers trade for Bryant? You had the sense they were hanging back to see if Arenado opted out or not. Looks like he is a Cardinal for life now.
According to Rosenthal above here, Arenado keeps his opt out after 2021 and has another in 2022. He first must waive his no trade clause. Honestlly Arenado was only a target but nothing more, as we pretty much knew he would not be traded to Dodgers.
Cardinals sending up to 5 prospects to Rockies. Arenaudo keeping his 2021 opt out and adding one for 2022. That should make the Dodgers never consider Bryant, which I hope they have never done.
Few options on outside remain. Dodgers either sign JT or engage with another team for that RH hitting infielder.
I can’t think of a reason we won’t get JT back. I’ve been hearing that 2 things are delaying the deal and they might be related. One is that they first need to cleat a spot on the 40 man roster and second they’d like to clear some money off the payroll so his salary doesn’t push them over the luxury tax. For example trade Kelly, plus someone else from the 40 man roster and prospects for Hader. We get rid of Kelly’s 9 million, we get a closer and we have a spot to add JT, and we’re ready to roll!
Turner is all the more likely to return to the Dodgers.
Seems like the Mets, in a win-now mode, would be most likely to pursue Bryant–and they might sign Bauer too (and perhaps Jackie Bradley Jr. too). Adding all that to Lindor, DeGrom and Alonso…egad. One report has Cubs willing to package Bryant and SP Hendricks (??) in a deal.
Assuming Turner is signed, Dodgers really don’t need anything. If the DH returns, Roberts will mix and match and rest veterans like Turner. Rios should get plenty of ABs and Smith can DH when Barnes catches.
I wonder whether Pederson was hoping Friedman would outbid the Cubs. Reports say Pederson is getting $7m per year, same as Kike, though Kike has a two-year deal. Taylor is earning roughly the same. Interesting that a slugging platoon player is valued equal to a “super utility” guy.
It increasingly seems like that Friedman will wait for midseason to make a tactical trade, as he did in the past for Darvish and Machado.
Arenado was never a “target” of the Dodgers. AF is too smart to throw away massive dollars at a guy who is not a game changer. Mookie has a mega contract because he is a game changer. The only people who considered Arenado a target are the reporters and “experts” that fuel the rumor mill. . Watch how Friedman works. He flies under radar. Most of his moves catch the experts by surprise.
And we know that’s what these reporters and experts make their living. The rumor mill thrives on the livelihood of these people.
The Cards will regret this trade even more than colorado regrets this contract, which cost them close to 120M for 1.4 years service. Last season we saw the kind of season he had playing outside of the rarified colorado air, where he is a career .800 OPS hitter in his 20s, now they’ll be paying him 33M a year for his 30s, and unbelievably, they threw another 15M onto his contract for him to waive his no trade clause after he requested a trade.
All that matters to the Cards is the net cost – by adding another year at $15M, and the reported $50M, the Cards will be paying Arenado a little over $23M net per season through his age 36 season. That is a very reasonable amount for Arenado’s talent. Of course we do not know which players are headed to Colorado, but right now this looks like a very good deal for the Cards.
I believe he has 200M left on his contract and 6 years, add a year at 15M, that’s 215M over 7 years, my math computes that to just over 30M a year. Compare that to the LeMahieu contract, 6 years at 90M, he’s just 2 years older, considered by many the best hitter in baseball, also has gold gloves, and proved he could hit at an elite level outside of Colorado, and coming off an MVP level year as opposed to Arenado coming off a lame year. No doubt Arenado is a good player, but paying him 30M a year through age 37, even Pujols averaged about 1.8 WAR from his age 33-37 seasons, that’s about Joc Pederson level. On top of it all, time will tell if any of the prospects the Cards gave up for the pleasure of paying him free agent superstar money turn out to be any good.
oops, I forgot to take the 50M off, so you are right, 23M, that does change the calculation quite a bit, still looks bad next to LeMahieu, but not as bad as I made it out to be.
The Cards see the Cubs rebuilding and the Brewers are not dominant so St Louis can be aggressive and win the NL Central.
The Rockies were never going to trade Arenado to the Dodgers.
I believe re-signing Turner is around a 90% probability.
IS this a good deal for St Louis? If they win the NL Central it is although I rate them 5th with Dodgers, Padres, Braves, and Mets ahead of them in talent.
He owns the gold glove award at 3rd and 4 defensive player of the year awards. He’s won 4 silver slugger awards. None of this guarantees the future but he’s about as good as a player gets.
Cards will likely win their lame division and fall short once again, that’s all they’ve done the last 9 years. They lost their way a long time ago and soon there’s not going to be anyone left to carry whatever they had on. Expect a long long World Series drought for the cards, it’s a beautiful thing
Not a blockbuster if the Cards are only giving up the five rumored prospects. That would equate to our 20th, 23rd, 27th, 33rd, and 41st ranked prospects. Thant is NOT a blockbuster. Colorado just got shafted!
You’re right. The Cards didn’t give up much at all. The Cards will now move to the top of the weak NL central pack. The Rockies will call the cellar of the NL west home.
The only teams that don’t get shafted in these big deals are the ones that deal with the Dodgers. For whatever reason these others teams are allowed to trade for big names and give up little. Look at all the moves the Padres have made the last 4 months without really depleting their farm