John Mozeliak is doing everything he can to help nudge Nolan Arenado out the door
By Austin Owens
For a team that has been involved in a lot of offseason rumors, the St. Louis Cardinals have had a really quiet winter. After missing the playoffs for the second straight season, a rebuilding process is just around the corner for the red birds.
The organization has not signed a free agent this offseason. Additionally, Paul Goldschmidt signed with the New York Yankees and the Cardinals chose not to retain starting pitchers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. St. Louis finally made a trade this week to prepare for the upcoming season, indicating that another trade involving Nolan Arenado could be right around the corner.
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John Mozeliak's moves prepares Cardinals for Nolan Arenado's departure
On Thursday, the Cardinals made a trade to acquire Michael Helman from the Minnesota Twins. Helman is a 28-year-old with very little MLB experience but has put up respectable numbers in the minors throughout his career. While he may be known as a utility player, third base is likely to be his home in St. Louis.
This move will not turn the heads of the Cardinals fan base but general manager John Mozeliak agreed to this trade to prepare for the inevitable departure of Nolan Arenado.
Arenado has made it very clear that he would rather be traded to a contending team than stay with the Cardinals during their rebuilding process. Mozeliak acquiring a third baseman put Arenado one step closer to the exit door.
As you would imagine there have been several teams inquiring about Arenado but a deal has yet to happen most likely because of his contract details. Arenado is owed a great deal of money through his age 37 season and there has not been anyone yet willing to take on the entirety of that contract.
Rumors have heated up that the Cardinals and Red Sox could slowly be getting close to a deal to send Arenado to Boston but for this to happen, St. Louis will likely have to take on a portion, if not majority, of Arenado's contract. At this point, the Cardinals may be desperate enough to get prospects to jump-start their rebuild that they may indeed swallow some cash to get Arenado off their books sooner.
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