Cardinals left with impossible Nolan Arenado choice with Red Sox out of trade race

At the doorstep of the start of full spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals seemed like they were ostensibly waiting on a resolution for the Boston Red Sox's pursuit of free agent Alex Bregman in terms of a Nolan Arenado trade. Boston seemed like perhaps the lone remaining team with interest that Arenado would waive his no-trade clause for, so not landing Bregman would've led the Red Sox to conceivably pivot right to Arenado.

The Red Sox won't be pivoting. On Wednesday night, Boston signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract. And now the Cardinals are in a terrible predicament, particularly John Mozeliak.

Just on Wednesday afternoon, Mozeliak seemed to express uncertainty about an Arenado trade even with the Red Sox rumors still churning. That was so much so the case that The Athletic Cardinals insider Katie J. Woo called the possibility of a trade "up in the air".

With Boston out of the equation, though, things are even more up in the air. We know the Cardinals as they transition to the Chaim Bloom era appear intent on shedding salary. And if that remains the case, Mozeliak could be looking at either giving in when it comes to an Arenado trade or potentially trading other pieces.

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Cardinals have impossible decision with Nolan Arenado after Red Sox land Bregman

As of right now, it doesn't appear as if there are any real Arenado trade suitors. ESPN insider Buster Olney reported that the Yankees, one of the most obvious pivots from Boston, have not expressed much interest. One also has to imagine that the Cardinals' stance about how much money they're willing to eaet on Arenado's contract still looms large in opening up discussions.

Therein lies the dilemma that Mozeliak and the Cardinals now find themselves in. Do they succumb to other teams wanting to take on less of Arenado's money, thus hurting their overall plight of cutting salary, or is St. Louis now better served to look at some other trade candidates and deal them instead?

As the Cards move into this new era of front office leadership, there are other potential candidates to move who could make sense. Ryan Helsley might be chief among them but you also have to look at guys like Sonny Gray and Erick Fedde. But there are options available to them that could help usher in a youth movement and without the potential complications that come with dealing Arenado.

Unless another team emerges soon, though, the Cardinals plans may have just changed dramatically. It's difficult to see Arenado getting traded as things currently stand but it also seems reasonable to think that the organization won't start the 2025 season with this current roster totally intact. What that actually means will be determined in the next couple of weeks, most likely.