There is a chance star third baseman Nolan Arenado has played his final game in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform.
The Athletic's Katie Woo reported Tuesday that St. Louis is exploring Arenado's market this offseason, and the odds of the Cardinals trading him away are higher than him trotting out as their Opening Day third baseman in March.
The 33-year-old Arenado has three years remaining on his contract and is owed $32 million next season, $27 million in 2026 and $15 million in '27. He also has a no-trade clause on his deal and reportedly won't waive it unless he's traded to a contender.
Based on Arenado's recent social media activity, many MLB fans believe the eight-time All-Star does have a trade destination in mind—the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Arenado uploaded a flurry of offseason photos to Instagram on Sunday, a post that was paired with the song "Dodger Blue" by Kendrick Lamar.
Additionally, Arenado recently reshared a post from a fan who called him his "hero" and also included "Future Dodger?" in the caption.
Some of Nolan Arenado’s latest Instagram posts 👀
— Cardinals Talk (@theredbird_way) December 3, 2024
Seems clear to me pic.twitter.com/OmBBkDDm6O
What does it all mean? It could be nothing. But it also could be Arenado sending a subtle message to the Cardinals' front office that is already looking to trade him this winter.
Arenado is coming off a down year for his standards—a .272/.325/.394 slash line with 16 homers and 71 RBIS—but the veteran still should demand a high trade return in the coming months.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLB Fans Theorize Nolan Arenado Eyes Trade to Dodgers Based on Social Media Hints.
