When Nolan Arenado signed his eight-year contract extension with the Colorado Rockies in spring training in 2019, it looked like he would spend the rest of his career in a Rockies uniform. He had said all along that he wanted to play for a consistent playoff contender and that the Rockies played each other after the season. “I think the future in Colorado is much brighter than in the past,” he said at the time.
However, things can change quickly in baseball and Arenado’s relationship with the Rockies quickly soured. After two poor seasons, with a major league roster with no draft and a minor league system considered one of the weakest in the sport as they try to compete in a division with the Dodgers and Padres, the future Rockies looks immediately much more depressing than brilliant. With Arenado agreeing to forgo its no-trade clause, the Rockies traded their franchise icon to the St. Louis Cardinals in a hugely successful deal.
The Cardinals receive a five-time All-Star and eight-time Golden Glove winner, a superstar even in the narrowest definition. From 2015 to 2019, Arenado hit .300 / .362 / .575 with an average of 157 games, 40 home runs and 124 RBI’s. He finished no less than eighth in MVP voting and was third behind Mike Trout and Mookie Betts in WAR among positioners.
As good as Arenado has been, it’s not necessarily a risk-free trade for the Cardinals.