Nolan Arenado appeared close to becoming a member of the Houston Astros, but the All-Star third baseman reportedly doesn’t want to make a hasty decision.
The Cardinals have been hard at work since the MLB winter meetings to trade the 33-year-old. St. Louis is trying to cut payroll due to its broadcast deal and other personnel reasons, and there are multiple teams interested in Arenado, including the Boston Red Sox.
Houston would have been a solid fit, but Arenado nixed the trade didn’t want to rush the decision and preferred to wait for the third base market to be established, according to The Athletic’s Katie Woo. The Astros dealing away star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs also gave Arenado pause.
The market won’t be established until Alex Bregman signs, which “is not believed to be imminent,” according to Woo.
Boston is one of multiple teams in the Bregman market. MLB insider Jon Morosi believed it is “more of a possibility” to land the star infielder than the New York Yankees, and that likely would put the Red Sox out of the Arenado market. The Astros aren’t against bringing back Bregman, which would be possible after dealing away Tucker.
However, Arenado is a talented star in his own right, so there might be a waiting game to see what happens in free agency before a blockbuster trade is made.
