After missing out on star third baseman Alex Bregman, the Arizona Diamondbacks quickly shifted gears and swung a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, acquiring Nolan Arenado in exchange for pitching prospect Jack Martinez. The move provides Arizona with an impact bat and elite defense, while allowing St. Louis to enter a rebuild and bring back a cost-controlled arm.

After five years, three Gold Gloves, three All-Star appearances, a Silver Slugger, and a top-three MVP finish, Nolan Arenado’s chapter with the Cardinals has officially closed. While he struggled at times to stay around his career norms toward the end of his run in St. Louis, his peak in 2022 was one of the strongest seasons of his entire career.

In 2022, Arenado led the National League with 7.9 WAR, finishing ahead of that year’s MVP and teammate Paul Goldschmidt. In 148 games, he posted 163 hits, 42 doubles, 30 home runs, and 103 RBIs, along with 52 walks. He finished the year with a career-best 151 OPS+ and a triple slash of .293/.358/.533/.891. It was easily his best season with the Birds and capped off a stretch of ten straight Gold Gloves, second all-time only to Brooks Robinson and tied with Mike Schmidt.

However, we are now heading into year four since that remarkable 2022 season, and with injury concerns and signs of slowing down, Arenado is no longer the same threat he once was. Last season was by far the worst of his MLB career, and at age 35, he isn’t getting any younger. Hopefully, a new environment back in the NL West—where he dominated for years—can help reignite a spark.

Last year, in 107 games, Arenado recorded just 95 hits, 12 home runs, and 52 RBIs, slashing .237/.289/.377/.666 for an OPS+ of 87. Since his MVP-caliber season, his OPS has steadily declined from .891 to .774 to .719 to .666.

The best part of this trade is that the Diamondbacks are only responsible for $5 million of Arenado’s $27 million salary for the 2026 season. Both the Diamondbacks and the Rockies are contributing $5 million, while the Cardinals are on the hook for the remainder. On top of that, Arizona is guaranteed at least two seasons of Arenado at third base, as he won’t become a free agent until after the 2027 season.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, are clearly shifting gears and committing to a full rebuild. After trading both Sonny Gray and Wilson Contreras to the Red Sox earlier in the offseason, Arenado becomes the third major piece moved, leaving the organization with an almost entirely homegrown roster. This opens up more playing time for players like Nolan Gorman without the pressure of a veteran presence blocking opportunities. In return, St. Louis receives 22-year-old right-hander Jack Martinez, who was drafted in 2025 and has yet to make his professional debut.

I think the Nolan Arenado trade will be a great change of scenery for the veteran. He will still bring elite defense and a bat with a high ceiling to his new team. On top of that, Arizona is only paying $5 million, and he’s essentially a rental and a bridge between the present and the future, giving young players like Jordan Lawlar more time to figure things out at the hot corner. Let’s see if Nolan can be the player he was earlier in his career. It’ll be fun seeing him back in the NL West, and I’m excited for what 2026 brings for him.