We have completed the following trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks:
Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado to Diamondbacks
Photo credit: © Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Jan 14, 2026, 08:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 14, 2026, 06:16 EST
One of the big named third basemen available for trade was finally moved.
After a couple of seasons of speculation, the St. Louis Cardinals finally pulled the trigger on traded Nolan Arenado, moving him and cash considerations to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Jack Martinez. The Boston Red Sox had been linked to him for the past few years, and it made even more sense with Alex Bregman’s departure.
Half a decade ago, that deal would’ve been inconceivable, but Arenado’s game has really fallen off over the past few seasons. Well, at least with the bat. From his big league debut in 2013 until 2022, Arenado slashed .289/.346/.535 with 299 home runs in 5,831 plate appearances, splitting his time between the Colorado Rockies and Cardinals.
In his prime, Arenado led the National League in home runs on three separate occasions, all with the Rockies. In 2015, he hit 42, followed by 41 in 2016. In 2018, Arenado hit 38 home runs, then another 41 in 2019, granted he didn’t lead the NL that season. While most of his best years with the bat came with the Rockies, he still had some good seasons with the Cardinals after they traded for him.
Take his 2022 season, where he slashed .293/.358/.533 with 30 home runs in 620 plate appearances. His 149 wRC+ that season was the best of his career, while also posting a 7.2 fWAR, which, you guessed it, was also a career-best.
Arenado’s bat began to decline from there, posting a 107 wRC+ in 2023 and a 103 wRC+ in 2024. For the first time since 2013 (or 2020 if we’re counting the pandemic year), Arenado posted a sub-100 wRC+ in 2025, finishing with a 84 wRC+ and a 0.9 fWAR in 436 plate appearances.
I don’t think it’s a hot take to say that Arenado is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, even with the Coors Field factor. In his 1,787 games played, the third baseman has a 51.6 fWAR and a 57.8 bWAR, and he’s only 34 years old. As much as his offence has declined, Arenado is still a terrific fielder.
From 2013 until 2022, Arenado was the only National League Gold Glove recipient for third base. In that time, he also won six Platinum Gloves. In Arenado’s 13t big league seasons, he has accumulated 169 Defensive Runs Saved and 110 Outs Above Average in 14900.1 innings at the position, and OAA didn’t become a stat until his fourth season in the big leagues. Arenado may go down as the best fielder of any position of all-time.
While he may not be Gold Glove calibre any longer, Arenado posted 6 DRS and 3 OAA in 880.2 innings at the hot corner last season, and 6 DRS and 10 OAA in 1268.1 innings in 2024.
As for Martinez, the 22-year-old was drafted in the eighth round of the most-recent draft. He has yet to make his professional debut, but had a 5.47 ERA and 3.70 FIP in 15 starts with the Arizona State University Sun Devils in 2025.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.