Insider: Yankees Unlikely to Trade for $260 Million Star Nolan Arenado

The New York Yankees appear to be out of the running to acquire St. Louis Cardinals star third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Arenado, who has been linked to the Yankees due to their need at third base and the Cardinals’ reported interest in clearing payroll, now seems unlikely to land in New York unless St. Louis agrees to cover a significant portion of his salary.

According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon and Katie Woo, the Yankees admire Arenado but are hesitant to take on the bulk of his remaining contract.

“Speculation has circulated around the Yankees, especially after Paul Goldschmidt — Arenado’s teammate in St. Louis — signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal with New York in December,” the article stated. “However, multiple sources indicate that while the Yankees like Arenado, they aren’t willing to absorb most of his contract. From the Cardinals’ perspective, this would defeat the purpose of trading him, as the goal is to offload his deal entirely.”

Arenado is entering the sixth year of his eight-year, $260 million contract. In 2024, the eight-time All-Star hit .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs.

Yankees Could Stick with DJ LeMahieu at Third

If the Yankees opt not to pursue Arenado, DJ LeMahieu is expected to be the front-runner for the starting third base job.

LeMahieu, a three-time All-Star, dealt with injuries in 2024, playing in just 67 games and posting a .204 batting average with two home runs and 26 RBIs. Despite the down year, New York Post insider Jon Heyman reported that the Yankees might hope for a healthy bounce-back season from LeMahieu to fill the role.

Cardinals Open to Keeping Arenado

If a trade doesn’t materialize, the Cardinals are prepared to keep Arenado as their starting third baseman.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged the team is still exploring trade possibilities but emphasized flexibility.

“We remain optimistic that both parties can stay happy,” Mozeliak said during the Winter Meetings. “[Arenado staying] is a possibility, but it doesn’t necessarily get us to where we need to be financially. Moving his contract would help significantly, but there are other options to address payroll concerns.”

Earlier this offseason, Arenado blocked a potential trade to the Houston Astros. Reports suggested the Cardinals were willing to include $15-20 million to help cover his salary in that deal.

For now, Arenado’s future remains uncertain, but a move to the Yankees seems increasingly unlikely.