JUPITER, Fla. — St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado reported to spring training Sunday, showing up to play for a team that spent much of the offseason trying to trade him.
The eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner is owed $74 million for the next three seasons.
Colorado will pay St. Louis $5 million this year, the final installment of the $51 million the Rockies agreed to pay to offset the $199 million remaining on Arenado’s nine-year, $275 million contract to finalize a trade four years ago.
The Cardinals could not move him and his contract, which gives Arenado a full no-trade provision.
“I’m not going to talk about who the teams were because it doesn’t really matter anymore, but so, yeah, there was about five teams, five or so,” Arenado said. “I got a family now, and to be willing to pick up my family and move them, it has to be something that is worth it.
“So that’s kind of why the list was fairly small, and I don’t see myself really changing that list ever.”
Arenado is coming off a season that was not up to his standards, hitting .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday that “the pink elephant” in the room was what the team was going to do with Arenado, and he expected there to be a moment of awkwardness when he arrived for spring training.
Four days later, Arenado showed up a day before position players were due to report.
“We went into this offseason knowing that we were going to try to explore trades, which we did,” Mozeliak said. “We didn’t get to the point where he was no longer a Cardinal, so he’s certainly welcome back.
“Simply put, with Nolan on our team, we feel we’re a better team.”
The 33-year-old Arenado has hit .285 over his career with 341 home runs and 1,132 RBIs with the Cardinals and Rockies. His most recent season as an All-Star was 2023.
“I’m excited to get to work,” he said. “I’m a ballplayer, and I’m really focusing on getting ready for the season.”
Arenado, though, did acknowledge that he wished the Cardinals were committed to contending instead of rebuilding to set the franchise up for success in 2026 and beyond.
St. Louis has not signed any free agents to major league contracts after missing the playoffs for the second straight season following a four-year run of postseason appearances. Four-time Gold Glove first baseman Paul Goldschmidt left as a free agent to sign with the New York Yankees.
“Do I wish the direction was all-in? Of course,” Arenado said. “But is this what’s probably best for the Cardinals? Probably.”