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Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals swap Nolan Arenado trade names

Jon Morosi says that the Rockies and Cardinals have talked about some specific names in a possible Nolan Arenado trade

By Adam J. Morris
Colorado Rockies v San Francisco Giants Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

MLB Rumors: Nolan Arenado trade rumors involving the Colorado Rockies third baseman going to the St. Louis Cardinals have swirled for a while, and Jon Morosi says that the Cardinals and Rockies “have begun exchanging names” as they talk about a possible Arenado trade.

Morosi says that the Cards are “expected to ask” for one of Dylan Carlson, Nolan Gorman, Matthew Liberatore and Andrew Knizner to be included in any Arenado to St. Louis deal, though saying that they’re expecting to ask for that would seem to be inconsistent with the notion that names have been exchanged. Morosi also says the Rockies want major leaguers and “at least one prospect,” which, again, suggests that the details here are awfully hazy.

The Texas Rangers supposedly were planning on making a big run at Arenado when he became a free agent, which was slated to be after the 2019 season, but the Rockies pre-empted such a possibility by signing him to a deal that bought out his final season of arbitration in 2019 and will pay him $234 million over the next 7 years. Arenado has a no-trade clause as well as an opt-out after the 2021 season (which he supposedly didn’t ask for, and which Rockies g.m. Jeff Bridich says the team pushed for), and the opt-out in particular makes trading for Arenado problematic, since there’s the risk that a team acquiring him will get only two seasons out of him before he can hit the market again.

While the Rangers landing Arenado is a nice fantasy, the likelihood of Texas landing him seems quite slim, and despite all the talk (much of which has come from Morosi) about a possible Arenado trade, I think it is unlikely that he’s dealt before the season starts. The Rangers have reportedly agreed to a deal with Todd Frazier, who would be slated to play third base in 2020, but could move Frazier to first base if somehow they were to land Arenado.

Really, though, I’m tired of the Arenado to the Rangers discussion, because I think its a pipe dream that most likely won’t happen, and I just want the situation resolved so we can move on to something else.