The Dodgers have engaged the Cardinals in commerce talks for Nolan Arenado, experiences Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Occasions. The third baseman has a full no-trade clause however Castillo experiences that Arenado, a Southern California native, is keen to waive that proper provided that it means going to the Dodgers. It’s unclear if these talks made any progress or if a deal is shut however the Cardinals are underneath no obligation to maneuver Arenado, since he has 4 extra years on his contract and so they plan on contending once more subsequent 12 months, however the Dodgers do have younger pitching that they want. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relays phrase from Arenado’s agent Joel Wolfe, who says that the report Arenado is barely keen to waive his no-trade for the Dodgers is “inaccurate.”
It’s hardly shocking that the Dodgers can be curious about Arenado, who has been one of many sport’s premier gamers for fairly a while. He’s launched 321 house runs in his profession and has produced a batting line of .288/.345/.534 for a wRC+ of 122, courting again to his 2013 debut. He’s performed that whereas offering elite protection on the sizzling nook, having racked up 151 Defensive Runs Saved in his profession, in addition to 90 Outs Above Common and a 73.7 grade from Final Zone Ranking. He already has a profession tally of 48.3 wins above alternative from FanGraphs and 54.1 from Baseball Reference.
The Cardinals are having a disappointing season, having fallen to 46-57 and 9.5 video games again of a playoff spot. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak admitted a few weeks in the past that the membership must make strikes aimed toward enhancing the 2024 membership. Nevertheless, he additionally maintained that shifting a key participant like Arenado or Paul Goldschmidt wasn’t of their plans. “I don’t have any intentions of buying and selling anyone like them,” he stated, earlier than leaving the door open to a suggestion that might change his thoughts. “In the event you’re keen to pay attention on something, it’s a must to perceive (something’s attainable), however I doubt that may occur.”
To be clear, the Dodgers having curiosity in Arenado doesn’t imply the Playing cards are underneath any obligation to make a deal. As Mozeliak talked about, they’re keen to pay attention on something. All indications have pointed to the Cardinals planning on shifting short-term items and reloading for 2024 round the same place participant core however with a retooled pitching workers. Maybe the Dodgers have sufficient younger pitching expertise to make a deal occur, however that’s nonetheless not clear at this level.
The Dodgers are 58-43, holding a three-game lead within the West and are clearly in purchaser place. They’ve already added a few complementary items in Enrique Hernández and Amed Rosario however a giant push for Arenado would clearly be a transfer in a special stratosphere.
The membership has used gamers like Max Muncy and Chris Taylor at third base for a lot of this 12 months, although each gamers are additionally able to taking part in different positions and Castillo experiences it’s attainable that one or each of them might find yourself going to St. Louis within the potential deal. Muncy has lengthy been a three-true-outcomes chief, hitting loads of house runs whereas often strolling and hanging out. He’s persevering with that this 12 months, hitting 25 house runs whereas slashing .197/.329/.478 for a wRC+ of 118. Nevertheless, he’s extra of a bat-first possibility at third, having produced subpar defensive grades this 12 months. The Dodgers maintain a membership possibility for his providers in 2024 set at $10MM with no buyout.
Taylor spent a few years as an above-average hitter who might play nearly anyplace on the diamond. He reached free company after 2021 and re-signed with the Dodgers on a four-year, $60MM contract however has seen his offensive efficiency slip. He hit .265/.343/.461 from 2017 to 2021 however simply .219/.297/.399 because the begin of final 12 months. Regardless of the diminished manufacturing, he’s nonetheless been capable of slot into each place apart from first base and the battery. He nonetheless has two years and $26MM remaining on his deal after this 12 months.
Arenado would undoubtedly be an improve over both of these two gamers, although the Dodgers must half with one thing to make it occur. The Cardinals have lengthy been recognized to be in want of long-term beginning pitching since Adam Wainwright is about to retire whereas each Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery are impending free brokers and prone to wind up traded within the coming days. Steven Matz is a query mark after getting bumped to the bullpen earlier within the 12 months, solely lately retaking a beginning job. Depth choices like Dakota Hudson, Matthew Liberatore, Zack Thompson and Connor Thomas haven’t had nice years both, leaving Miles Mikolas as the only real constructing block in subsequent 12 months’s rotation.
Younger and controllable pitching is the one thing the Dodgers might provide, even some with some main league expertise. A number of accidents to their beginning workers this 12 months have compelled them up push prospects as much as the majors, together with Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan and Michael Grove. That group would have additionally included Ryan Pepiot, although he suffered an indirect pressure on the verge of Opening Day and has been on the injured record since, solely starting a rehab task this month.
Miller, 24, has a 4.28 ERA by 10 begins, hanging out 23.2% of hitters whereas strolling 7% and getting grounders at a forty five.5% clip. Sheehan, 23, has a 6.75 ERA by his six outings whereas Grove, 26, is at 6.19 this 12 months. Every of these three and Pepiot had been typically thought of among the many membership’s 30 finest prospects coming into the season and so they all include years of low-cost management. Castillo’s report suggests the Cardinals have curiosity in all 4. Shifting them would depart the Dodgers with diminished pitching depth, however maybe they may patch that over by buying veteran leases for the stretch run, with Clayton Kershaw probably returning sooner or later later within the 12 months. The Dodgers reportedly had curiosity in rental starter Lucas Giolito previous to him being traded to the Angels yesterday, and Castillo’s report speculates they may very well be curious about getting Flaherty or Montgomery from the Cardinals as nicely.
The Cardinals absolutely have some degree of curiosity in every of these, given their dire want for pitching, however that doesn’t essentially imply they’re keen to maneuver on from Arenado in an effort to purchase them. The 2 sides have lengthy seen dedicated to one another, with Arenado even forgoing an opt-out alternative on the finish of final season. He probably might have topped the 5 years and $144MM remaining on his deal however determined to remain in St. Louis as an alternative. He’ll nonetheless have 4 extra years and $109MM left on that deal on the finish of this 12 months.
That will be a hefty wage for the Dodgers to tackle as they’re already over the aggressive steadiness tax and can probably be attempting to signal Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking deal this winter, like many different groups. Maybe they may steadiness a few of that out by together with Muncy or Taylor within the deal, although that may rely how a lot the Cardinals worth these veteran gamers in comparison with the youthful starters.
Arenado departing St. Louis would depart a gap at third base in St. Louis going ahead, although Muncy or Taylor might theoretically assist fill that. Leaving these two apart, the Cardinals have many multi-positional gamers like Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman, who’ve every performed some third this 12 months. Tommy Edman hasn’t performed there this 12 months however has previously. He could be wanted at shortstop if Paul DeJong winds up traded this week, although prospect Masyn Winn is in Triple-A and will slot in there within the close to future.
It’s value reiterating that groups typically talk about every kind of commerce eventualities and there’s been nothing to recommend something is near completion right here. Jeff Jones of the Belleville Information-Democrat straight up denies that Arenado is being traded and, as talked about up high, Arenado’s agent has denied the report about his no-trade clause. The Cardinals and Dodgers make sense as potential commerce companions since one has short-term pitching however wants long-term, and the opposite the other. It will be pure for the Dodgers to at the very least ask about different gamers in these talks. Mozeliak has stated previously that the Cardinals, regardless of performing some promoting, weren’t seeking to transfer key gamers like Arenado. He did say they’re keen to pay attention on something, so maybe the Dodgers have sufficient younger pitching to make them give it some thought, however time will inform.
