Two American League contenders have been linked to St. Louis Cardinals star third baseman Nolan Arenado ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. The Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers have both been reported as showing interest in Arenado. However, Arenado gets the final say on whether he will be traded.
Nolan Arenado Will Have the Last Word on a Potential Trade
Astros Trying Again
This past summer, the Cardinals and the Astros had a deal in place to send Arenado to Houston. The eight-time All-Star vetoed a trade at the time. However, the Astros have been showing interest in Arenado again ahead of the deadline, according to MLB Insider Jon Morosi.
Nolan Arenado’s name has come up in trade talks between the Astros and Cardinals, but there’s no momentum toward a deal as of this morning. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 29, 2025
Perhaps the momentum would pick up if the teams had any assurance that Arenado would allow the trade this time around. The Astros are leading the AL West. The Cardinals have fallen to 10 games out of the National League Central lead. If Arenado wants to play for a contender this season, it’s clear the Astros are a better shot. Maybe that changes his calculus. Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak told MLB.com’s John Denton last week he would gauge Arenado’s interest on being traded at the deadline.
“That’s something we will have a good understanding of as we enter that final week [before the trade deadline],” Mozeliak told Denton.
Tigers Reportedly Interested in Arenado
Another American League division-leading team has shown interest in the 34-year-old third baseman. MLB insider Jim Bowden said on the Foul Territory show that the Tigers are an option for Arenado. However, Bowden also admitted on the show that he hasn’t heard anything about whether Arenado would waive his no-trade clause for the Tigers.
Nolan Arenado doesn’t sound like an option for the Astros, says @JimBowdenGM. pic.twitter.com/PhPSFxVVHn
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 30, 2025
“I don’t know if he’s going to waive a no-trade to Detroit,” Bowden said on Foul Territory on Wednesday. “He didn’t do it in the offseason. I would think he might this time around when he looks at Detroit. They are going to finish in first, they’ve got a great pitching staff, I would think he might reconsider.”
Bowden said the Tigers are also interested in Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez. However, a lot of teams are in on Suárez, and Arenado may be a consolation prize for Detroit.
Arenado is Expensive and Struggling
Trading for Arenado may not be the exciting move that it was when the Cardinals did it in 2021. Arenado is struggling this season. He has a .235/.295/.367 slash line and a .662 OPS so far in 2025. Arenado has hit 40 or more home runs in a season four times in his career. This year, he hasn’t hit one since June 21 and only has 10 all season.
Arenado is still a plus on defense, however. He is tied for fifth among all MLB third basemen in fielding run value at two. He’s tied for 12th among all third basemen in outs above average at two.
Arenado’s contract makes him difficult to trade as well. He is making $21 million this season and $31 million over the next two seasons. He is also still owed $47 million in deferred money through 2041. For the Cardinals to trade him, there is a chance they would have to retain some of his contract costs. However, the Cardinals may be tempted to take on that cost to open up room for younger talent in the infield.
Main Photo Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
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