Jeff Passan throws cold water on Nolan Arenado trade talk

MLB Trade Rumors: Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals from the Colorado Rockies has been a hot rumor of late, even if it seems to be primarily pushed by one particular national writer.

Jeff Passan, however, threw some cold water on the fevered speculation (“the Cards got Matt Liberatore because he’s going to the Rockies in an Arenado trade!”) with a tweet today that basically said that talks between the Cardinals and Rockies on an Arenado deal “haven’t gone anywhere,” and that its a “longshot” Arenado gets dealt before the season.

Arenado has been talked about as someone that the Texas Rangers have some interest in, and I don’t doubt that the Rangers would love to land the All Star third baseman. But between Arenado’s no trade clause, his opt-out after 2021, the uncertainty over whether the Rockies even want to move him, and the high price the Rockies would want in a deal, it seems unlikely that a deal is going to happen, and even more unlikely that he would end up in Texas.

If anything, Colorado is most likely engaging in talks to gauge the level of interest in Arenado out there and see if anyone blows them away with an offer. And if they don’t, well, they’ve at least gathered information that could be useful at the trade deadline or after the season, should they wish to re-visit the issue.