The St. Louis Cardinals were stumbling through a lackluster preseason, and the New York Yankees showed little to no interest in a star player. Now that he’s shaken off the rust and is performing like he still has something left in the tank, the Yankees remain—ironically—just as uninterested. Why? Because the price has likely gone up, and he may no longer even be on the market. It’s a lose-lose-lose scenario.
Back then, he didn’t look like a wise investment for New York. Despite being under control for roughly three more years at $30.5 million annually, persistent back issues raised red flags. His swing wasn’t a natural fit for Yankee Stadium, and the combination of looming decline, a massive salary, and an already-strong relationship with teammate Paul Goldschmidt made the cost—both in money and prospects—feel unjustifiable.
Fast forward to now: the Yankees still have a glaring need at third base, and that void became even more pressing after Oswaldo Cabrera’s unfortunate injury. With their most dependable depth option sidelined, the Yankees need to act. Arenado, who’s hitting .264 with a 115 OPS+ (slightly cooled off lately, but still solid), looks like a potential fit. Goldschmidt’s resurgence might even strengthen Arenado’s ties to St. Louis, giving him more reasons to stay.
But the Cardinals, now riding a nine-game winning streak, are in the thick of the playoff hunt and have no reason to part with their star third baseman. Arenado is clearly energized again and thriving with his current team. If he was hesitant to waive his no-trade clause for Houston or Anaheim earlier in the year, it’s unlikely he’d jump at a midseason deal to a team that showed no real interest just a few months ago.
As things stand, the Yankees will likely explore third base options at the trade deadline—unless DJ LeMahieu’s unexpected minor-league hot streak turns into something real. But they passed on the opportunity to acquire Arenado when he was more attainable, and a decent few months won’t be enough to change their stance.
Meanwhile, St. Louis is surging, with a .339 team OBP—third-best in MLB—and several key contributors like Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, and Victor Scott II thriving at the plate. With Masyn Winn’s return providing a spark and the team rallying around what seems like a genuine playoff push, the Cardinals have no reason to sell. For the Yankees, Arenado is likely off the table—permanently.
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