The Boston Pink Sox’s infield market dwindled additional Tuesday afternoon when the St. Louis Cardinals traded veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Pink Sox had been closely linked to Arenado final offseason, and as a high-caliber defender at third and right-handed hitter, he technically matches a number of of their wants once more this 12 months. He’s additionally shut with Trevor Story, his longtime teammate on the Colorado Rockies.
Arenado, who turns 35 in April, is an eight-time All-Star with 5 Silver Sluggers and 10 Gold Gloves on his résumé. His six Platinum Gloves – awarded yearly to the single-best defender in every league – are probably the most by any participant because the accolade’s inception in 2011.
His decline is clear, although, and he’s below contract by way of 2027. In 107 video games final season, Arenado slashed .237/.289/.377, all career-worst marks. His energy manufacturing – key space of want for the Pink Sox – has plummeted lately. After averaging 38.5 residence runs per 162 video games from 2015-22, he hit 54 residence runs mixed over the following three seasons, together with 16 in ’24 and 12 final 12 months.
Arenado was prepared to waive his full no-trade clause to return to Boston final winter, earlier than the workforce signed Alex Bregman. It’s unclear if the 2 golf equipment re-visited their commerce talks this winter, however each males are off the desk as of this week.
Boston has made two trades with St. Louis this winter, for right-hander Sonny Grey and first-baseman Willson Contreras.
They’ve additionally been linked to the Cardinals’ versatile, club-controlled infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan, who performs second, third, and left discipline. Donovan, who turns 29 on Jan. 16, gained’t attain free company till 2028. He batted .287 with a .775 OPS in 118 video games final 12 months, and is a profession .282 common, .772 hitter by way of 4 seasons.
The Pink Sox might put Donovan at second and rookie Marcelo Mayer at third, or vice versa.
The rebuilding Cardinals are additionally fielding curiosity in Donovan from the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners, although, and at Saturday’s Fenway Fest, Pink Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow sounded cautious of constructing one other commerce.
“To be able to purchase gamers like Sonny and Johan (Oviedo) and Willson and others, we’ve needed to transfer actually good gamers, and the depth that we’ve acquired over the past couple of years is one thing that we don’t need to take with no consideration,” Breslow stated, “so I feel if there’s a possibility to proceed to take a position on this workforce through free company, that’s a path that we might most likely choose.”
That was, after all, earlier than Bregman chose the Chicago Cubs later that night time.
The Pink Sox have made 10 trades this offseason. They continue to be the one workforce and not using a main league free-agent signing.
