A rumor in Major League Baseball doesn’t guarantee action, but there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Boston Red Sox and third baseman Nolan Arenado.
With the St. Louis Cardinals preparing for a mini-rebuild, Arenado’s name has surfaced in numerous trade talks this offseason. While he reportedly declined a trade to the Houston Astros, the story could be different if the Red Sox come calling.
According to a Sunday report from Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive, Boston is among Arenado’s preferred destinations. Despite a lackluster 2024 season offensively (posting a 101 OPS+), Arenado’s 10 Gold Gloves make him an invaluable asset defensively.
But what would it take for the Red Sox to acquire Arenado? Content creator Robbie Hyde explored this scenario in a mock trade on Sunday. In Hyde’s proposal, Boston would receive Arenado along with $15 million in cash, while sending Blaze Jordan—their No. 22 prospect per MLB.com—to St. Louis.
Such a trade would force the Red Sox to confront a key offseason dilemma: reassigning Rafael Devers to first base and deciding between trading Triston Casas or Masataka Yoshida.
Casas might be the easier option to move, given his higher upside, but that same potential makes the risk of future regret greater.
Ultimately, some argue Boston might be better off standing pat rather than parting with Casas to land Arenado. However, the decision rests in the hands of Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, whose internal deliberations will dictate the team’s path forward.
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