For those Los Angeles Dodgers fans who still have hope of Nolan Arenado donning the L.A. cap and holding down the hot corner at Chavez Ravine, one MLB insider is making sure that hope stays alive and well heading into the offseason.
In a recent article for ESPN.com (subscription required), Aiden Gonzalez once again gives hope to Dodgers fans who are looking for a long-term answer for the franchise at third base.
With the 32-year-old Arenado as a Southern California native, Gonzalez writes when discussing how Los Angeles could add more firepower to the offense this offseason, "Perhaps they rekindle trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for Nolan Arenado."
Could Los Angeles Dodgers "rekindle" Nolan Arenado trade talks with St. Louis Cardinals?
Of course, this isn't the first time that the Arenado trade rumors involving the Dodgers have come to life, with the potential for a swap around the 2023 MLB trade deadline taking off like wildfire. However, Arenado remained in St. Louis, finishing out a disappointing season for himself and the Cardinals as a whole.
While the All-Star may have had a down year (OPS+ of 109, his lowest of any full season since his rookie campaign in 2013), there are still plenty of teams, including the Dodgers, who would love to have Arenado on the roster. However, with St. Louis looking to get back on top in the National League Central, it would likely take a deal that would blow away the Cardinals for them to ship Arenado out.
With the Dodgers reportedly in full pursuit of Shohei Ohtani this offseason, could Arenado's salary (in the middle of a nine-year, $275 million deal) potentially even be a part of an L.A. payroll that already includes big contracts for Mookie Betts ($30 million next season) and Freddie Freeman ($27 million in 2024)? Even for a high-spending team like the Dodgers, that seems like a tall order.
