Dodgers on Deck: $260 Million Free Agent Next Move Could be…
As always, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain one of the main players during Major League Baseball’s offseason.
The Dodgers have been linked to big names via free agency as the team looks to strengthen its World Series-winning squad. However, one 10-time Gold Glover appears to be rallying for a Los Angeles move via trade.
Josh Jacobs of Redbird Rants shared an Instagram video posted by St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado in which he is playing a Kendrick Lamar song called “Dodger Blue.” It was the second post of his to reference the Dodgers this week.
The Cardinals are reportedly looking to clear out several of its veteran contracts to facilitate a rapid rebuild of a franchise that has fallen far behind the National League Central division champion Milwaukee Brewers in recent seasons.
Arenado has emerged as St. Louis’ most likely big contract to be traded this winter. The 33-year-old is under contract through 2027 on an eight-year, $260 million deal he signed before the Colorado Rockies traded him to St. Louis before the 2021 season.
FanGraphs currently projects slugging utility man Max Muncy as the Dodgers’ Opening Day third baseman. However, given Muncy’s versatility, his team prospectively acquiring a full-time player like Arenado to play the hot corner makes sense.
Arenado showed signs of his possible decline in 2024 after hitting just 16 home runs — his fewest in a full season since his rookie campaign of 2013 — and also failing to win a Gold Glove Award for the second-straight season after winning the defensive honor in each of his first ten big-league seasons.
However, he remains a solid player with star power for Hollywood. Unlike many teams that may shy away from his price tag, the Dodgers would seem much more amenable to take on the balance of Arenado’s contract.
