The New York Yankees have been linked to Nolan Arenado multiple times this offseason, but local reporters have indicated numerous times that the team would not be saving St. Louis from a contract they desperately want to move.
Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak spoke with the media today where he discussed the situation with Nolan Arenado, mentioning that at this point in time, he is likely to be part of their team. After it looked like an Arenado trade was a certainty for the Cardinals, the Red Sox signing Alex Bregman has left them without an interested suitor that the veteran infielder would willingly approve a trade to.
A team like the Tigers who missed out on Alex Bregman could look at Nolan Arenado, but he has not given any indication up to this point that he would accept a trade to Detroit. For the Yankees, this should hopefully mark the end of a news saga that has seen multiple conflicting reports from both sides.
Yankees Seem Unwilling to Pursue Nolan Arenado, Cardinals May Be Stuck
Nolan Arenado was a player who Jack Curry of YES Network has routinely told fans was not going to be traded to the Yankees this winter, and yet the rumor mill persisted that the lack of suitors would bring these two sides together. It could be possible that they held conversations that went nowhere, including a rumored one regarding a swap of Marcus Stroman for the veteran third baseman, but the Cardinals do not seem willing to add a bad contract in return for Arenado.
What hasn’t helped St. Louis is the fact that Arenado has a no-trade clause, and in fact, if he had waived it earlier this winter, the Houston Astros would have acquired him in a deal. That was only nixed due to that no-trade clause being enacted to block the deal, and the next plausible suitor was the Boston Red Sox who he would have waived that NTC for reportedly.
Other teams in that group included the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, who are not willing to take on that contract and have not shown serious interest in the player. The Angels and Padres have been rumored to be destinations that Arenado would accept a trade to as well, but neither have a need for the player at the moment.
Once the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, it put the Cardinals’ plans this winter in a bind, and John Mozeliak’s comments seem to be an indication that Nolan Arenado will remain in St. Louis for the time being. For the Yankees, their lack of interest in Arenado should be met with an interest in acquiring other infielders on the market, as DJ LeMahieu is not a starting-caliber player at this point in his career.
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It’s an internal battle between Oswaldo Cabrera and DJ LeMahieu, with Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as darkhorse candidates for the job. The Yankees cannot rely on that to carry them through the first half with how competitive the American League East, as the Red Sox, Rays, and Blue Jays have made clear improvements to their team. Baltimore remains a formidable opponent as well, and while the Yankees are odds-on favorites for the AL East, they need more.
An infielder would solve their biggest problem and improve their depth chart, but they might be in need of two infielders depending on how you view Oswald Peraza and DJ LeMahieu. Only one of the two can make the roster if the team is healthy, and there are some infielders out there on the market who may have to settle for an MiLB deal with an invite to Spring Training over the weekend.
Whether it’s someone like Brendan Rodgers or Luis Urias, the team would benefit greatly from having even more competition for a bench spot on the team, and those two can mash left-handed pitching. The Yankees could also look at the trade market for infield help with Willi Castro who is on an expiring contract and can play multiple positions.