The Cardinals are basically taking a page out of the Twins’ playbook from last year’s trade deadline. Remember, it started with trading Sonny Gray to the Red Sox for some prospects, and they kept things rolling by also sending Willson Contreras to Boston. Both deals helped trim salary while restocking the farm system. And it probably doesn’t stop there.

St. Louis could still have a few more trades up its sleeve before the offseason wraps up. While you might think Brendan Donovan is a potential trade chip, from the Cardinals’ perspective, veteran Nolan Arenado might actually bring back more value.

And if that’s the case, it could even open the door for a move that sends him back to his home state.

“And when you’re aging, and the power starts to go, like going to Angel Stadium, theoretically, I think would be a big boost for him. That is one of the better home run hitter’s ballparks in the majors,” US Sportscaster Mike Ferrin said via MLB Network Radio.

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Reportedly, since 2020, Arenado hasn’t really looked like the same .300 hitter anymore. He hasn’t topped that mark in any season, and while 2024 was decent at .272, 2025 was rough, just .237 with 12 HRs. According to Ferrin, that kind of downturn could be exactly what nudges him toward wanting a change of scenery.

And honestly, there may not be a better landing spot than Anaheim.

Angel Stadium is pretty friendly to hitters, especially power guys. The center field isn’t that deep at 396 feet; the air in Anaheim helps the ball carry, and tweaks like moving in the right-field line have made it even more inviting for home runs.

Moreover, Nolan Arenado only has two years left on his nine-year, $275 million deal he originally signed before 2019. So, for a franchise valued at $2.75 billion, that’s hardly a deal-breaker for the Angels.

From the Angels’ side, the fit makes a lot of sense.

They still have issues in the outfield, especially in center, where Jo Adell struggled badly last season after Mike Trout moved to full-time DH duties. It also opens up third base for a younger prospect and frees up a sizable chunk of payroll. So even if St. Louis isn’t aggressively shopping him yet, this feels like a move the Angels should at least pick up the phone and explore.

The Angels could have an uncontested market for Arenado

Well, currently, Arenado’s market has kind of been on hold while teams wait to see where Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suárez end up. Why? Because both of those guys bring more upside, especially for teams with postseason aspirations. So it’s understandable why contenders would rather chase them before giving up assets for Arenado.

The Angels are a bit different, though.

They’ve never been in the race for either Bregman or Suárez, which could actually work in their favor. Instead of getting caught up in the bidding war, they could take a quieter, uncontested path. Earlier this week, the Angels and Anthony Rendon had agreed to a restructured deal that effectively ended his time with the team. That leaves a clear hole at third base and enough funds to land Nolan Arenado.

So while most teams are busy for Bregman, the Angels could use the money they freed up from Rendon to make a smart move for a proven veteran at third and address a real need without much competition.