Release ‘Not An Option’ For Cardinals Former All-Star

The St. Louis Cardinals are open to trading third baseman Nolan Arenado, but a trade is the only way he is departing from St. Louis, according to new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Bloom told a group of St. Louis reporters that releasing Arenado is “not an option” and they’d “be happy to have him back” if a trade is not reached.

The Cardinals looked to trade Arenado last offseason but were unsuccessful in finding a partner that the future Hall of Famer was willing to waive his no-trade clause for. The team is looking to move in a new direction, focusing on the youth within its organization, which leaves Arenado in a spot where he may not contend for the remainder of his contract with the Cardinals.

When Arenado was traded to St. Louis by the Colorado Rockies, there was an expectation that teaming up with former National League West foe Paul Goldschmidt would result in continued success in the Gateway to the West. The corner infield duo would not win a playoff round with the Cardinals, leaving this era of Cardinal baseball as forgotten history.

If Arenado and the Cardinals do not find a suitable team to trade with in the winter, the conversation may be sidelined again until the trade deadline, which could impact Bloom’s plans for the organization’s future.

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