John Mozeliak’s next failure could be trading Nolan Arenado for Cardinals villain

The St. Louis Cardinals are retooling around their young core this winter. That means making some painful decisions, including getting rid of proven veterans like Paul Goldschmidt and perhaps even Nolan Arenado.

Goldschmidt and St. Louis have already parted ways. He will have a new team in 2025, and that's probably for the best given his poor production last season with the Cardinals. However, Arenado's name has surfaced quite a bit of late in trade rumors, with some pundits expecting him to be moved at the winter meetings or shortly thereafter.

Two teams frequently connected to Arenado are the Dodgers and Yankees, two teams which played against one another in the World Series this past November. Arenado is signed through the 2027 season and saw a dip in his production last year, especially in the power department. A fresh start could do him some good, and the Dodgers have been connected to the star third baseman dating back to last year's trade deadline.

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Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to trade for Nolan Arenado

Arenado is from California and has never played for the Dodgers. He'd be a cheaper option than some of the third basemen on the free-agent market, including Alex Bregman, and would add another viable bat to a dominant, veteran-laden LA lineup.

For St. Louis, trading Arenado is more about making way for the next generation and getting his contract off the books. It really is that simple, and there's little chance the Cardinals can acquire a top prospect for his services at this point in Arenado's career. Mozeliak doesn't have much leverage. Nonetheless, the trade package floated by ESPN's Buster Olney is not what Cards fans had in mind.

Cardinals could trade for a former villain in Nolan Arenado deal

The Dodgers aren't made of money. Even they have limits, and have spent a lot the last few winters and plan to do so again this offseason. Adding Arenado to the payroll would have to come with a caveat, which would mean St. Louis taking on a contract of their own. In this case, the trade-off isn't all that bad, as Mozeliak and the Cards would save some capital. Unfortunately, the player coming back to the Lou is someone who has haunted their past.

By no means does this imply Taylor is off the table, but an Arenado trade is tough enough for St. Louis fans to swallow as is, especially when it sends the star third baseman to the Dodgers of all teams. To acquire a player like Taylor who sent them packing in 2021 would speak volumes.