ST. LOUIS — All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado said on Friday night that he hasn’t been asked to waive the full no-trade clause in his contract by the Cardinals — or by any other MLB team, for that matter — but he did hint that the current state of a squad headed for its first losing season in 15 years has clouded his confidence.
Arenado said throughout this season that he waived the opt-out in his contract last fall because he wanted to continue his career with a Cardinals franchise that he felt could help him win his first World Series title. However, the Cardinals have spent most of this season in last place in the NL Central, and Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has said the team will sell at the upcoming Trade Deadline.
To move the 10-time Gold Glover, the Cardinals would need Arenado’s permission. While he hasn’t been approached about waiving the clause, he declined to say whether he would employ it to block any potential deals the Cardinals might seek as they look to overhaul their roster.
“No, no, I haven’t been asked about anything yet,” Arenado said Friday after the Cardinals’ 3-2 loss to the Cubs. “Like I said, I’m just here and going to compete. I’m going to come in here tomorrow ready to work and try to help this team win a ballgame. That’s really all my focus is on right now.”
When asked about a report in the Los Angeles Times that he might be willing to waive his no-trade clause in order to return to his native Southern California and potentially play for the Dodgers, Arenado said: “I mean, I haven’t talked to anybody really, so I don’t know where those reports came from. Like I said, when [Mozeliak] wants to have those conversations, we’ll have them.”
When asked directly if he held the power to squash any trade talk with his no-trade clause being the final veto, Arenado said felt uncomfortable speaking in absolutes about the topic because of the fluid nature of the club around the Deadline.
“I’m not going to speak on it,” Arenado said. “I’m going to go out there tomorrow and try to help us win a ballgame. I’m going to keep repeating the same old nonsense you [media] guys don’t want to hear, but I’m here to win and I’m going to do the best I can tomorrow and that’s what I’m focused on.”
The Cardinals dropped to 46-59 on Friday after Cubs center fielder Mike Tauchman robbed a potential game-winning home run by pinch-hitter Alec Burleson in a season where the Cards were heavy favorites to repeat as NL Central champions. St. Louis started the season 10-24, made a brief charge to within four games of the division lead and then slumped badly again in June and early July.
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