The New York Yankees acquired 26-year-old third baseman Jazz Chisholm at the MLB trade deadline last season. But that doesn’t mean the Yankees won’t add another third baseman before the start of the 2025 campaign. With Alex Bergman now off the market, the top third baseman the Yankees could add is via a trade for Nolan Arenado.
On Feb. 17, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer called the Yankees “still” a potential fit for the 8-time All-Star.
“There are still potential fits for [Arenado],” Rymer wrote. “The New York Yankees are one, though they’ll apparently have to do better than offering Marcus Stroman. The hurdle either way is Arenado’s contract, which includes a no-trade clause and owes him $74 million through 2027.”
Arenado hit .272 with a .719 OPS in 635 plate appearances across 152 games with the Cardinals in 2024. That was a down season by his standards, as he failed to make the National League All-Star for just the second time since 2015.
The 33-year-old also recently broke his streak of consecutive seasons winning the NL Gold Glove award at third base.
But with the Yankees, Arenado is a potential bounce back candidate and is a right-handed bat New York could plug into the middle of its lineup with Aaron Judge.
Could the Yankees Trade for Nolan Arenado?
The Yankees might prefer to acquire another left-handed bat to replace Juan Soto, who moved across town to the New York Mets this offseason. But the Yankees did add outfielder Cody Bellinger, a left-handed outfielder who won the 2019 NL MVP.
With Arenado, the Yankees could add more power at third base in their lineup.
Last season, Chisholm and Oswaldo Cabrera combined for 19 home runs. Arenado had 16 in a “down season.”
From 2015-23, Arenado averaged 33 home runs per season. Over that nine-year period, he also amassed nearly 1,000 RBI.
At 33 years old, Arenado might not get back to the 30-homer plateau. But in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium and in a lineup where opposing pitchers are fully focused on avoiding a mistake to Judge, Arenado could have the opportunity to thrive.
Arenado may also be a potential defensive upgrade. From 2013-22, he won 10 consecutive Gold Glove awards.
Defense was an issue for the Yankees in the World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chisholm committed an error during the Game 3 loss of the series.
Obstacles to a Yankees-Arenado Trade
There are a couple different factors that could prevent the Yankees from acquiring Arenado. The first and most obvious obstacle is Arenado’s no-trade clause. He would have to approve coming to New York to make the deal happen.
There are two more years after 2025 remaining on Arenado’s contract. He signed an 8-year, $260 million extension with the Colorado Rockies in 2019.
That means an acquiring team would not only pay Arenado $21 million during 2025 but also $31 million over the next two seasons. The veteran third baseman would become an unrestricted free agent at 36 years old during the 2027-28 offseason.
There’s also deferred money in Arenado’s deal, which raises the total still owed to him to $74 million.
Despite that contract, the Cardinals don’t appear willing to give away the third baseman as a mere salary dump. MLB.com reporters indicated the Yankees attempted to acquire Arenado early in the offseason, but the Cardinals turned down a deal involving starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who is turning into a disgruntled player early in Spring Training.
If the Yankees are serious about adding Arenado, they will have to make a more enticing offer to the Cardinals and still be willing to accept what’s left on Arenado’s deal. The veteran third baseman would also have to approve the trade.
