The Houston Astros seem to have accepted that they won’t be able to re-sign their franchise third baseman, Alex Bregman. Recently, the Astros traded Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for corner infielder Isaac Paredes. While Paredes could be used at first base, the Astros might still pursue a blockbuster trade to acquire a new third baseman. One player at the top of their list is Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals, who the team is eager to move.
Arenado still has $52 million left on his contract, and the Cardinals are reportedly willing to cover a significant portion of that to facilitate a trade. However, Arenado has a no-trade clause and is said to be unwilling to waive it for the Astros, as they are not on his approved list of teams. If Arenado changes his mind, the Astros could make a major move to bring him in. Here’s a possible trade scenario:
Houston Astros receive: 3B Nolan Arenado, $20 million
St. Louis Cardinals receive: RHP A.J. Blubaugh (No. 10 prospect), RHP Rhett Kouba (No. 25 prospect)
The first hurdle in this deal would be getting Arenado to agree to the trade, but with the Cardinals pushing to move him, he may be willing to reconsider his stance. If the deal goes through, the Astros would acquire Arenado to replace Bregman, saving significant salary in the process. With the Cardinals covering $20 million, Houston would essentially pay about 40% of Arenado’s remaining contract. Instead of committing $200 million to Bregman, the Astros would acquire Arenado for just two prospects.
For the Cardinals, this trade allows them to shed $32 million of Arenado’s contract while gaining two promising pitching prospects. Blubaugh, a 24-year-old right-hander, showed strong potential in 2024 and is expected to continue improving in 2025. Kouba, who had a solid start to his career, experienced a rough 2024 season, but a change of scenery could help him get back on track, making him an intriguing low-cost prospect for St. Louis.
