Nolan Arenado reportedly wants be traded to Red Sox; how would he fit in Boston?
BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox still need another right-handed bat in the lineup, and could potentially fill that void with a trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Red Sox and Arenado have been connected all offseason, and a deal could potentially get pushed across the finish line soon with Spring Training set to begin next week.
St. Louis has been looking to move Arenado all winter, as the Cardinals hope to usher in a new era of younger players and player development. Arenado reportedly wants to come to Boston too, which could help the Red Sox cause in any deal.
While signing free agent Alex Bregman remains an option, the Red Sox reportedly prefer to take on Arenado's remaining contract rather than dish out the big money that Bregman and agent Scott Boras are seeking on the open market. But acquiring Arenado would force Craig Breslow and the Red Sox to make some other decisions elsewhere on the roster.
Who is Nolan Arenado?
Arenado is a 12-year MLB veteran who will turn 34 in April. He's put together an incredible career for the Rockies (2013-20) and Cardinals (2021-24), earning eight All-Star nods and 10 Gold Glove awards at the hot corner. He led the National League in homers three times (42 in 2015, 41 in 2016, and 38 in 2018 while in Colorado) and led the Majors in RBI in 2015 (130) and 2016 (133).
He had a bit of a down season for the Cardinals last year when Arenado slashed .272/.325/.394 and clubbed 16 homers to go with 71 RBI. His .719 OPS in 2024 was his lowest since his rookie year in 2013, but Arenado owns an .857 OPS for his career.
He's also had success at Fenway Park in a small sample size. Arenado is 18-for-54 (.333) with a .362 on-base percentage and a .704 slugging percentage to go with six home runs, two doubles, and 15 RBI in 13 games at the home of the Red Sox.
But he's a right-handed bat the Red Sox desperately need at the moment, and he reportedly has eyes for Boston.
Arenado reportedly wants to come to Boston
Arenado has a full no-trade clause in his contract, which he initially signed with the Rockies in 2019. He reportedly vetoed a trade to the Houston Astros earlier this offseason, and ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Wednesday that those around Arenado believe he wants to play for the Red Sox.
Given that Nolan Arenado vetoed the potential deal to the Astros, what some of his friends say is important: They think he would really like the idea of going to the Red Sox, if Boston and the Cardinals work out terms. Arenado's current mindset: "Highly, highly motivated."
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 5, 2025
Maybe his desire to come to Boston will work in the Red Sox' favor. It's unclear what the Red Sox would have to give up in return, but if the Cardinals really want to shed his salary and Boston is their only option, the Red Sox could potentially use it to their advantage.
The Cardinals have their own advantage when it comes to Boston's prospects though, with former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom serving as an advisor for Cardinals president of baseball ops. John Mozeliak. Bloom will take over for Mozeliak after the 2025 season.
Bloom had a big hand in building Boston's top-ranked farm system, so the Red Sox won't be able to pull a fast one over the Cardinals in terms of prospects.
Nolan Arenado's remaining contract
Arenado is signed through 2027, but his annual salary goes down over the next three seasons. He is set to make $32 million this season, $27 million in 2026, and $15 million in the final year of his deal. Of the $74 million he's still owed, the Rockies will pay $5 million in each of the next two seasons.
That would put the Red Sox on the hook for $64 million over the next three seasons, which is much less than what Bregman is looking for this winter. However, John Denton of MLB.com reported Thursday night that Boston now prefers to sign Bregman over trading for Arenado, but added that the Red Sox are battling two other teams in the Bregman sweepstakes.
How would Arenado fit on the Red Sox?
That is a great question, one that creates more questions the more you dig. Unlike Bregman, who would reportedly move to second base if he signs in Boston, Arenado would come in and play third base for the Red Sox.
That would give Boston a Gold Glove caliber third baseman, but what would it mean for Rafael Devers? He could potentially move to first base, but then what would Boston do with Triston Casas? If Devers becomes the team's full-time DH, what wouldl become of Masataka Yoshida?
Maybe some of that would work itself out depending on the trade package the Red Sox would send to St. Louis. Perhaps old friend Bloom would take on Yoshida if the Red Sox offer to pay some of his remaining salary. (Did you get a good chuckle from that?)
If the Red Sox end up trading for Arenado, there will likely be another shoe to drop. They could certainly make it work, but it could get complicated.