{"id":92914,"date":"2024-12-29T17:49:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-29T22:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=92914"},"modified":"2024-12-29T17:49:53","modified_gmt":"2024-12-29T22:49:53","slug":"nolan-arenado-trade-list-shortens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/12\/29\/nolan-arenado-trade-list-shortens\/","title":{"rendered":"Nolan Arenado Trade Partners List Shortens After Free Agent Signing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Star third baseman Nolan Arenado<\/a> seems to want to be a Los Angeles Dodger. However, Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez<\/a>\u2019s recent re-signing<\/a> with the Dodgers seems to close the door on that possibility this offseason. Arenado, who hails from Southern California, will have to hope the St. Louis Cardinals can negotiate a trade<\/a> with a different team from his state if he wants to return home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nolan Arenado Not a Trade Fit for Dodgers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Dodgers were one of six teams on Arenado\u2019s<\/a> wish list as the Cardinals started shopping him this offseason. His preferred destination is rumored to be the Dodgers. He caused speculation<\/a> about it with a cryptic Instagram post with the song \u201cDodger Blue\u201d by Kendrick Lamar. The two teams have had trade conversations around Arenado in the past, most publicly at the 2023 trade deadline.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, The Athletic has reported<\/a> that the Dodgers have not considered trading for Arenado this offseason. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes publicly committed to Max Muncy<\/a> as the team’s third baseman in 2025 at the Winter Meetings. While Arenado\u2019s agent has said he is willing to switch to first base to make a deal possible, the Dodgers have that spot filled too with Freddie Freeman<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Muncy is a much cheaper option at third base than Arenado. The incumbent third baseman stands to earn $24 million over the next two years compared to the $64 million still on Arenado\u2019s contract. Muncy has also been more productive of late.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2024, Muncy had an OPS of .852 compared to Arenado\u2019s .719, although he missed a majority of last season due to injury. He played 79 fewer games than Arenado. With that, Muncy still managed a better WAR at 3.0 to Arenado\u2019s 2.5. Even with the discrepancy in games played, Muncy hit just one fewer home run than Arenado in 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hern\u00e1ndez Signing Closes the Door<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hern\u00e1ndez\u2019s three-year, $66 million deal with the Dodgers likely puts the organization back ahead of the New York Yankees for top payroll in 2025 for now. While Hern\u00e1ndez and Arenado don\u2019t play the same position, the signing likely extinguishes any rumor of Arenado ending up with the Dodgers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Arenado\u2019s best hope was for the Dodgers to lose a high-impact bat and seek to replace it for a 2025 campaign. Even with LA’s extravagant ways, it\u2019s hard to rationalize trading for an expensive player<\/a> when there doesn\u2019t seem to be an everyday spot for him defensively or in the lineup, especially with the DH duties going almost exclusively to superstar Shohei Ohtani<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next in the Arenado Sweepstakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Cardinals insider John Denton believes Nolan Arenado partially turned down a trade to the Astros because he\u2019s holding on to hope on going to the Dodgers.<\/p>\n

\u201cNolan Arenado wants to be told no by the Dodgers, that\u2019s his first choice.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/YdsEiQ4zvi<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) December 19, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n