Nolan Arenado was one of the St. Louis Cardinals’ biggest questions heading into the offseason. That question has now been answered.
According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Arenado is all-in with the Cardinals. He has opted in to the remaining five years of his deal and will be in St. Louis through 2027.
Nolan Arenado saves St. Louis one possible headache
This decision is certainly great news for the Cardinals. They were already facing an offseason filled with uncertainty as they need to find a starting catcher, a middle infielder, an impact bat in their lineup, and pieces for the bullpen. Although they are going to be opening the checkbook this offseason, trying to replace Arenado could have been a disaster.
This decision is also somewhat surprising. Arenado posted a stellar .293/.358/.533 batting line with 30 homers and 42 doubles in his 620 plate appearances while saving 19 runs at third. Not only is he the favorite to take home his tenth consecutive Gold Glove award but he is going to receive plenty of consideration for the NL MVP award as well.
At the same time, one would imagine that Arenado could have earned more than the five years and $144 million left on his current contract. After the deals signed by the likes of Anthony Rendon and Freddie Freeman, he appeared destined for a significant payday if he entered free agency.
But there is no questioning Arenado’s loyalty. He never wanted the opt-out clause in the first place as he had every intention of staying in Colorado until the front office shoved him out the door. Now that he has found a home in St. Louis and is comfortable, there is no reason why he would want to leave.
Nolan Arenado is staying with the St. Louis Cardinals. His decision to opt in to the last five years of his deal saves a potential nightmare scenario.