Phillies Sign Another Star from Cardinals in Free Agency
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies have struck again in free agency, this time poaching one of the St. Louis Cardinals’ cornerstone players for the second consecutive offseason. Multiple sources confirmed Friday that the Phillies have agreed to terms with All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado on a six-year, $212 million contract that includes an opt-out after the third season and a full no-trade clause. The deal, which is pending a physical, reunites Arenado with former Cardinals teammate Paul Goldschmidt, whom Philadelphia signed to a three-year, $72 million pact last winter.
The move represents a seismic shift in the National League landscape and further cements the Phillies’ status as the most aggressive spender in baseball this offseason. With Arenado now in the fold, Philadelphia’s projected 2026 lineup features four former MVPs or MVP runners-up: Bryce Harper, Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Trea Turner — a collection of star power rarely seen on a single roster outside of All-Star weekends.
Arenado, 34, departs St. Louis after eight seasons in which he established himself as perhaps the greatest defensive third baseman of his generation and a perennial MVP candidate at the plate. Despite a down year by his standards in 2025 — .272/.335/.448, 23 HR, 81 RBI in 148 games — scouts and analysts universally attribute the dip to lingering back and shoulder issues that sapped his power in the second half. A source close to Arenado told ESPN that a late-season cortisone shot and aggressive offseason rehab program have him feeling “as good as I’ve felt since 2021,” the year he won his ninth straight Gold Glove and finished third in NL MVP voting.
For the Cardinals, the loss is devastating on multiple fronts. Arenado was not only the face of the franchise alongside Goldschmidt for the better part of a decade, but his departure leaves a gaping hole at the hot corner and further accelerates what now appears to be a full-scale pivot toward youth. St. Louis received no compensation, as Arenado’s 10-and-5 rights allowed him to block any trade and dictate his destination in free agency after declining his 2026 player option earlier this month.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged the difficulty of the moment in a statement released Friday afternoon: “Nolan has meant everything to this organization and this city. While we are heartbroken to see him go, we respect his decision and wish him nothing but success — unless he’s playing us, of course.”
In Philadelphia, the reaction was predictably euphoric. Citizens Bank Park season-ticket renewals reportedly spiked within minutes of the first rumors surfacing on social media, and the Phillies’ team store began printing “NOLAN TO PHILLY” shirts before the deal was even official.
The financial mechanics of the contract are complex but player-friendly. Arenado will earn $38 million annually from 2026 through 2028, with the salary dropping to $34 million in each of the final three years to ease luxury-tax implications. The opt-out after year three gives Arenado leverage if he returns to his 2021-2023 form (averaged .290/.350/.540, 33 HR, 110 RBI per 162 games during that stretch), while the no-trade clause ensures he cannot be moved without consent — a non-negotiable demand after years of trade rumors in St. Louis.
Defensively, Arenado immediately becomes the best third baseman in the National League East and likely the majors. His 10 consecutive Gold Gloves (every full season of his career) are the most ever by a third baseman to begin a career, and advanced metrics still graded him as plus-12 in Defensive Runs Saved in 2025 despite the injuries. Alec Bohm, who has manned third base for the Phillies since 2022 and posted a respectable .280/.335/.450 line last season, is now expected to slide across the diamond to first base full-time, with Goldschmidt transitioning into a platoon/DH role at age 38.
The infield alignment — Turner at short, Bryson Stott at second, Goldschmidt/Bohm at first, and Arenado at third — is arguably the best defensive infield in baseball on paper, with each player grading above average or elite at his position. Offensively, the lineup gains another feared right-handed bat in the middle of the order, slotting perfectly between Harper and Goldschmidt to create a murderous 3-4-5 combination.
Phillies owner John Middleton, who has pushed the team’s payroll north of $300 million in recent years, reportedly told associates he views the Arenado signing as the final piece in constructing a roster capable of winning multiple World Series titles before Harper’s contract expires in 2031. Team officials believe the core of Harper (34 in 2026), Turner (33), Arenado (35), and emerging stars like Stott and pitcher Andrew Painter can contend deep into the next decade.
For St. Louis, the exodus of both Goldschmidt and Arenado in consecutive offseasons marks the end of an era. The Cardinals now turn to prospects Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, and Masyn Winn to anchor the next contention window, likely in 2028 or beyond. The club is expected to pivot hard toward pitching this winter, with names like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, and Max Fried topping their wish list as they attempt to remain competitive in a loaded NL Central.
In Philadelphia, there is no such restraint. The Phillies, fresh off a