The Cardinals once traded for Nolan Arenado but, amid the team's tumultuous 2023 season, the All-Star offered his take on forthcoming changes.
In all likelihood, Nolan Arenado isn't moving at the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline. The same may not be true, however, of several other St. Louis Cardinals.
Arenado is the starting third baseman for the National League in Seattle for the MLB All-Star Game, but he's representing a team that is 11.5 games out of first place in the division and 14 games under .500 coming into the break. With several expiring contracts on the books as well, it would behoove the Cardinals to trade away perceived rentals in order to help solidify the future.
This has to be something that Arenado and the Cardinals roster are keenly aware of. And it's also something he addressed when speaking to the media on Monday in Seattle.
Cardinals: Nolan Arenado address potential selling at trade deadline
When asked about the possibility of trades shaking up the core in St. Louis, Arenado played it a bit vague, but did seem to be accepting of the reality of the situation with the Cardinals, via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"Yeah, I mean, it is a business, right?" Arenado said. "I've been traded once and I think that shocked a lot of people at the time. So, I guess, no, it doesn't surprise me anymore what happens in this game. But it would still be surprising seeing certain things happen, but I understand that there's certain things that probably should."
Arenado did seem to hold some optimism about getting recharged at the All-Star break and making a run, noting that the team does have a top five offense in baseball and good arms — incidentally noting specifically Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty, two prime candidates to be traded — but was critical of the defense and said the team hasn't "played good baseball".
As far as the need for selling at the trade deadline, it all stems from the surprising way that the Cardinals have played this season. And Arenado addressed that as well.
"We're all surprised with what's going on here," he said. "It's been a tough first half. Nobody wants this. We know St. Louis fans aren't happy about it and we completely understand. If they're not happy about it, then you can imagine where we're at."
Though reports have indicated that Arenado isn't going anywhere, he affirmed that he wants to stay in St. Louis, which is why he opted into his new contract and adding that he'll weather any changes that come to help the future with him.
Though we can only take his words at face value, Arenado certainly sounded like a player acutely aware that big changes are coming and, even if he's hopeful the team can be better, he clearly understands the business of baseball. Most importantly for Cardinals fans, though, he's committed to the future in St. Louis.