Free Agency Moves Unlikely for Cardinals Before a Trade is Finalized

Trade is a “Flip of a coin”

The St. Louis Cardinals have yet to make any moves in free agency this offseason, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said that those moves are unlikely to come until the team has clarity on a trade for third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The Cardinals are one of six teams that have not yet spent any money on an MLB free agent this offseason. Mozeliak told reporters on Sunday at a press conference that a trade for Arenado is a “flip of a coin.”

Katie Woo with The Athletic reported that the free agency market is slowing down the process in an Arenado trade. The Cardinals did have a trade in place to the Houston Astros last month, but Arenado vetoed that trade.

“It’s been very quiet,” Mozeliak told KMOX Radio on January 5th.

Presumably, the biggest free agent clogging up an Arenado trade is fellow star third baseman Alex Bregman. Arenado has a full no-trade clause and has named six teams to his “wish list.” If one of those teams signs Bregman, it would further limit Arenado’s trade possibility. The most desired trade partner for the Southern California native is likely the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, that deal is not likely for the defending World Series champion.

“We have a lot of time left, we’ll see how things shake out over the next three to six weeks,” Mozeliak told KMOX.

If no trade materializes before Spring Training, the Cardinals are prepared to keep Arenado on the roster. The team is still motivated to cut payroll, and Arenado still wants to be on a more contending team. However, if nothing mutually beneficial materializes, Arenado will remain on the team for at least the start of the 2025 season.

“If we have the ability to find him a place that he desires, that’s something we’re going to try to do,” Mozeliak said on KMOX Radio. “But, if not, he’ll have to be a part of our club moving forward.”

Arenado is coming off his worst season of his career. The Cardinals were hoping to open up room for younger players on the roster, but they will have to find time to get a look at infielders like Thomas Saggese and Nolan Gorman while still playing Arenado pretty much every game.

So far this offseason, the Cardinals have seen nothing but departures. The team has let star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt walk, as well as starting pitchers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. Andrew Kittredge, a highly effective set-up man, recently signed up after leaving the Cardinals. These have not been met with corresponding additions.

Mozeliak told reporters he’d like to add some bullpen help and a right-handed bat. If the team doesn’t move Arenado, presumably, it won’t be as keen on adding a right-handed bat.

Earlier in the offseason the Cardinals seemed to be more desperate to cut payroll. It seemed they would trade some of their higher payroll starting pitchers if they couldn’t get Arenado off the books. However, on Saturday, Mozeliak told reporters they have more flexibility than they did with payroll when the offseason started.