51黑料

DALLAS 鈥� Of all places, it was in Colorado, during the Cardinals鈥� final road trip this past season, that president of baseball operations John Mozeliak met personally with third baseman Nolan Arenado, the player he spent more than a year trying to acquire from the Rockies, spent days trying to sort through a thicket of contract complications, and discussed how they could part ways within a few months.

Mozeliak outlined how a second consecutive disappointing season coupled with parallel goals of going young and trimming payroll would change the Cardinals鈥� approach from the one that prompted Arenado to waive his no-trade clause so he could come to 51黑料.

Mozeliak wanted to know how the All-Star felt about staying or whether he wanted another trade.

鈥淭hese decisions are not something we ever take lightly,鈥� Mozeliak said. 鈥淏ut when you understand really the profile of what this team looks like, after meeting with him in Colorado ... ultimately, he鈥檚 not demanding a trade. He鈥檚 not telling me I have to do it. But I think in the best interest of both sides, I鈥檇 like to find him someplace.鈥�

Asked directly Monday if he intended to trade Arenado, Mozeliak, breaking briefly from a policy of not commenting on trade negotiations, nodded.

鈥淚t is my intention to try,鈥� he said.

The Cardinals鈥� president of baseball operations did not expect a deal to be completed in Dallas during the meetings at the Hilton Anatole that end Wednesday, but his willingness to discuss the talks suggested enough progress a trade could happen within a few weeks.

Mozeliak鈥檚 on-the-record acknowledgement arrives a month after the Post-Dispatch first reported that the Cardinals were exploring trade interest in Arenado. The Cardinals have approached around five teams to discuss trading for Arenado, sources described Monday at Major League Baseball鈥檚 annual winter meetings. In that select group, the Yankees and at least one other club were courting Juan Soto before entertaining other moves. The Padres and also Dodgers are two other clubs that fit the profile of teams the Cardinals have been contacting.

Activity in the market, including Soto reportedly agreeing to a record $765 million sum with the New York Mets, has teams shifting attention. A group of teams pursuing third baseman Alex Bregman is also going to leave multiple teams shopping for a third baseman without one. Mozeliak said signings are 鈥済oing to create some movement鈥� for the Cardinals to 鈥渁ddress what we鈥檙e trying to accomplish.鈥�

Mozeliak has kept Arenado updated on those talks.

Arenado maintains a no-trade clause that gives him final say on moving.

鈥淎s we try to explore what some options might look like, I鈥檓 trying to keep him in the loop on how we鈥檙e thinking through it, how we鈥檙e doing it,鈥� Mozeliak said. 鈥淟ike I said, nothing has been written in stone yet. We both remain optimistic that both parties will end up happy somehow.鈥�

In the Cardinals鈥� suite Monday night, Mozeliak was asked if that end could be with Arenado at spring training in Jupiter, Florida, still with the Cardinals.

鈥淚t is, but I鈥檓 not sure that puts us exactly where we want to be,鈥� Mozeliak said.

Part of the Cardinals鈥� motivation to trade Arenado is to continue slimming payroll. The Cardinals declined $30 million in player options for 2025. Their projected payroll is about $30 million less than opening day 2024. Mozeliak said they would like to trim more as they respond to a reduction in broadcast rights fee and brace for a downturn in revenue from ticket sales.

Arenado is owed $74 million over the three remaining years on his contract. The Rockies are paying $10 million of that, with the Cardinals owing the entirety of Arenado鈥檚 $15 million salary for 2027. The Cardinals owe Arenado $27 million for the coming season, with a portion of that deferred.

The other driving factor for the Cardinals is opening up playing time at third base for Nolan Gorman so that both he and Gold Glove Award winner Brendan Donovan can be everyday players. The Cardinals want to use the designated hitter spot for Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras.

鈥淔rom a financial standpoint ... certainly there are other ways we can do this,鈥� Mozeliak said. 鈥淏ut it also creates runway for someone else.鈥�

In California, Arenado is preparing for the season with a focus on workouts that improve his agility and movement. A finalist for the Gold Glove Award at third this past season, Arenado, a 10-time winner, is one Gold Glove away from being the National League鈥檚 all-time leader at his position. Health and an adjustment to his preparation led to a superb second half on defense while offensively he struggled to some of the lowest power numbers of his career. That has him focusing on explosiveness that could aid his swing.

The Cardinals鈥� new hitting coach, Brant Brown, recently visited Arenado to talk with him individually about his swing, his season and also get feedback on where the Cardinals offense went awry this past summer.

Manager Oliver Marmol called Arenado鈥檚 insight for a new coach 鈥渋mportant.鈥�

He described Arenado has approaching the offseason as if he鈥檒l remain a Cardinal.

鈥淣olan right now is operating in a space of: I鈥檓 here, and I鈥檓 working toward getting myself ready as a player to have a productive year,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淯ntil that happens, he is a Cardinal, and he鈥檚 investing in the Cardinals.鈥�

Arenado, 33, sought a move to a contender when Colorado faded into a prolonged rebuild after signing him to a deal that became a nine-year, $275 million pact. Arenado not only agreed to defer more money to make a deal to the Cardinals possible, he also twice elected not to use an opt-out and remain with the Cardinals.

He said, repeatedly, that his intention was to be with the Cardinals 鈥渁 long time.鈥� He and the team believed they would be perennial contenders during their time together. A losing season followed by a lackluster season has prompted the Cardinals to reconsider and give Mozeliak a reason to approach Arenado about his wishes.

He has talked often about relishing Cardinals history and being a part of it.

He has also described how he鈥檚 urgent, hungry to pursue a championship.

The place he sought to achieve both is changing.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had open dialogue,鈥� Mozeliak said. 鈥淲e understand where this may end.鈥�

鈥業nstructor鈥� David Freese, etc.

51黑料 native and 2011 World Series MVP David Freese will join the Cardinals during spring training as a guest instructor. His close friendship with coaches Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay that was forged while teammates at Class AAA Memphis contributed to an invitation to join the Cardinals camp for a stretch and work with infielders.

• Contreras has scheduled an early report to the Cardinals鈥� complex in Jupiter in January to begin working with infield coach emeritus Jose Oquendo and coach Stubby Clapp on the move to first base. Contreras will also be able to work with shortstop Masyn Winn, who has made Jupiter his offseason home.
• The Cardinals expect to make formal offers to several prospective minor league coordinators this week and continue to fill their player development leadership group. The major league coaches and manager have been involved in vetting, identifying and interviewing candidates for open roles such as field coordinator, infield coordinator, outfield coordinator and catching coordinator.