When will the Cardinals end up dealing away the superstar slugger?
After much chatter and speculation, the Cardinals and Houston Astros reached a point in trade talks where they went to St. Louis star third baseman Nolan Arenado to see if he would approve a trade to Houston. Clearly, at that point, the two sides were very far along in trade talks.
While this is the case, Arenado ultimately decided to invoke his no-trade clause and deny the trade to Houston. The Athletic’s Katie Woo and Chandler Rome reported the reasons for this are uncertainty about Alex Bregman’s future as well as the recent Astros trade in which they sent Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs.
“Uncertainty surrounding Bregman — coupled with the club’s trade of Tucker — gave Arenado at least some pause about the Astros’ long-term outlook, according to one source,” Woo and Rome said.
He also didn’t want to make a decision with a lot of the offseason still left, per Woo and Rome.
“Instead, according to multiple league sources, Arenado declined to waive his no-trade clause, preferring not to make a decision this early in the offseason,” Woo and Rome said.
It’s not too shocking of a decision. Houston does seem like a team also in transition after trading its best player away to the Cubs. Arenado would be a good replacement for Bregman, but how will the Astros be in 2025 overall?
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The St. Louis Cardinals are more worried about shedding payroll this winter than having a competitive roster to showcase come Opening Day 2025.
Trading away significant talent isn’t out of the question for the Cardinals, as the front office plans to make room for younger talent to gain experience next season.
That said, a Cardinals fan favorite could be moved to the American League West-rival Texas Rangers in a potential three-player blockbuster trade.
“Both Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this offseason that—despite St. Louis’ stated plan of getting younger and building toward the future—the Cardinals are not expected to trade away closer Ryan Helsley unless they get an offer they simply cannot refuse.,” Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote Thursday morning. “The (Texas) Rangers might be willing to make that offer, though, because they absolutely need the bullpen help after losing all of Kirby Yates, David Robertson, Andrew Chafin, José Leclerc and José Ureña as free agents.”
Helsley is entering his final year of arbitration, so the Cardinals might be inclined to trade him while he’s at peak market value following his career year in 2024.
“For now, he could be one heck of a one-year band-aid solution to the Rangers’ need for a closer, which might be the missing link that makes them the AL West favorites and the top challenger to the Yankees in the American League,” Miller continued. “He won’t come cheap, but he’s probably worth it.
The Trade: St. Louis sends right-handed pitcher Ryan Helsley to Texas; Texas sends outfielder Alejandro Osuna and left-handed pitcher Mitch Bratt to St. Louis.”
The 2024 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year comes equipped with a projected market value of nearly $80 million over a six-year deal, according to Spotrac. With St. Louis rebuilding, it might be wise to move Helsley before he becomes a free agent next winter.
Miller’s trade proposal would provide the Cardinals with the Rangers’ No. 16 and No. 17 top prospects. Landing a respectable return in exchange for the two-time All-Star is vital, so Texas would undoubtedly have to forfeit some talent to land Helsley.
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