St. Louis Cardinals fans are well-aware that their likely future Hall of Fame third baseman is as good as gone. After Arenado vetoed a trade to the Houston Astros last year, fans of the Los Angeles Angels liked him even more than they alright might have. Now, with the Angels needing to fill their vacancy at third base, Arenado might make more-and-more sense after his comments following the end of the Red Birds’ season.
Recent Nolan Arenado comments will make Angels fans demand a trade right away
There were rumors that the Angels were on the short-list of teams Arenado would have waived his no-trade clause last year, but he either did not have them on the list or actively rejected them as a destination when vetted by Cardinals’ staffers. Arenado is seeking his first World Series championship, so of course he did not want to join the 2025 Angels. However, circumstances may have changed for him this time around.
“I understand I can’t nitpick quite as much,” Arenado said to Derrick Goold of St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “At the same time, I have a family. I can’t go anywhere just to go anywhere. I can’t do that. I have to make sure I make the right decision for sure, for us. … I don’t think it’s fair for me to go, ‘I’m only going to this championship-caliber team.’ I don’t think I can do that. Who is to say that team wants me? It’s a two-way street. I understand that.”
Arenado is from Newport Beach, CA and attended high school in Lake Forest, CA. He lives in Southern California during the offseason, and his wife is his high school sweetheart. He has deep ties to SoCal, and during the twilight of his career he may want to play closer to home. If the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were Arenado’s favorite team growing up, pass on him then the Angels might be able to pull off a trade this time around.
Arenado is coming off of the worst season of his career, and still is under contract for three-years, $52 million. Angels fans might not be psyched to bring in a player who just posted a career-worst .666 OPS, but if Arenado actually would be open to returning home then they might be able to assuage fears in these ways.
First of all, there’s no chance the Angels would pay his full salary. Perhaps the Cardinals would take back Jorge Soler’s expiring deal in return for Arenado to help off-set the incoming salary? Arenado makes $21 million in 2026, but his contract does decrease to a $16 million AAV in 2027 and then $15 million in 2028. The Angels will have much more payroll flexibility in 2027 and beyond, so helping negate Arenado’s AAV next year is the biggest obstacle. The Cardinals could eat more of his deal in the two final years, as well as bring on Soler, if the Angels entice them with a solid enough package of prospects.
Say what you want about Arenado’s woeful 2026 season, but he did not strike out that much! His 11% K% ranked in the 96th percentile of hitters, so his skill-set would be more valuable to the Angels than literally any other team in baseball. In case you forgot, the Angels struck out more than every team in baseball history save for one.
Arenado played with Mike Trout during the World Baseball Classic, and the two future Hall of Famers would be incredible clubhouse presences for the young core. Furthermore, Arenado is on the record as to saying that Albert Pujols is one of his favorite players ever. The two were teammates during Pujols’ final season in 2022, and it just so happens that Pujols is the favorite for the Angels’ vacant managerial role.
Now, if the Angels can go out and sign Munetaka Murakami — they have to do that. However, if Murakami signs with the Dodgers (they have to be the heavy-favorite to sign the phenom), or somebody else, then trading for Arenado is not the worst idea in the world. Arenado and Zach Neto would be a defensive force on the left side of the infield (Arenado remains an all-world defender). Arte Moreno loves him some stars who can put fans in seats, and Arenado fits the bill.
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