The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired Nolan Arenado in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, the teams announced Tuesday.
Arenado is heading to Arizona along with cash considerations for 22-year-old right-hander Jack Martinez, who was selected in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks will pay $11 million of the $42 million left on the third baseman’s contract over the next two seasons, with the Cardinals picking up the remaining $31 million.
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Arenado, who will turn 35 in April, had spent the past five seasons with the Cardinals after playing the first nine years of his career with the Colorado Rockies. The 10-time Gold Glove third baseman and eight-time NL All-Star had to waive his no-trade clause in order for the deal to happen and reportedly expanded the list of teams he’d be open to moving to.
Arenado moving on ends a year-long saga of the Cardinals trying to trade him. In December 2024, the five-time Silver Slugger Award winner reportedly blocked a deal that would have sent him to the Houston Astros. Both sides have been working toward this result with Arenado’s agent saying that same month the player would be open to moving positions to help facilitate a trade “if it’s the right place to go.”
The Diamondback were reportedly interested in Alex Bregman, but following his signing with the Chicago Cubs, Arenado became a top option at third base.
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Arenado will now join a Diamondbacks infield that features Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop and second baseman Ketel Marte, who was recently taken off the trade market.
A right shoulder strain kept Arenado out six weeks and limited him to 107 games last season. He finished with a .237 batting average, 12 home runs and 52 RBI in 401 at-bats. Those numbers were among his lowest over the course of a full season since he broke into the majors in 2013.
