What teams are fits for Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt as Houston Astros make move at first
, the Astros have reportedly signed first baseman Christian Walker. The Gold Glove-winner who took over at first for Goldschmidt in Arizona in 2019, Walker agreed to a The Astros had been actively shopping for a third baseman or first baseman, and their move will have ripple effects for teams that also are fits for free-agent first baseman Goldschmidt or Arenado, or both.
The New York Yankees have been exploring options at first base, and they have considered Goldschmidt on a shorter-term deal, sources said. The Yankees also are one of the teams that the Cardinals approached to discuss their interest in Arenado. The level of interest hinges of course on how much of Arenado’s contract the Cardinals are willing to cover.
Arenado is owed $74 million over the remaining three years of his deal with $10 million of it covered by the Rockies. The Cardinals added an additional year to his contract, for 2027 at $15 million, to make the trade from Colorado possible in 2021.
Every offseason is an ecosystem with available players shaping the market and influencing the offers for each other.
One first baseman in hand by Houston changes things for two Cardinals in the marketplace.
For teams interested in adding a first baseman, Walker’s signing with the Astros leaves one fewer team in need and one fewer option. Walker declined a qualifying offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who now have reason to explore a reunion with Goldschmidt. The Mets also have expressed interest in Goldschmidt. The San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers also have been reported as a possible suitors for Goldschmidt. Free-agent slugger and first baseman Pete Alonso remains available for the position, as does former Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
For teams interested in signing a third baseman, Walker’s signing with the Astros likely removes them from re-signing All-Star Alex Bregman and all-but eliminates their pursuit of Arenado. As part of a trade earlier this week that sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, Houston acquired infielder Isaac Paredes, who has started at least 100 games at third in each of the past two seasons. A select few of the same teams interested in Arenado also are pursuing Bregman.
Arenado’s agent, Joel Wolfe, put it well at the winter meetings: “Every time a right-handed bat signs there, theoretically, (there’s a spot) that opens up.”
Arenado, armed with his no-trade clause, and Goldschmidt, a free agent unencumbered by a qualifying offer that costs a team a draft pick, have final say in where they go.
Bregman’s ultimate landing place also will clarify Arenado’s choices and if a more-preferred team becomes interested, sources described.
The Yankees and Red Sox reportedly are interested in Bregman, who sources said have also talked with the Cardinals about Arenado. A move to Boston would reunite Arenado with Colorado teammate Trevor Story. Two other teams approached by the Cardinals, San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers, have third baseman in place. Arenado has said he’ll consider shifting positions to make a preferred trade possible, Wolfe said. Other teams have contacted the Cardinals about Arenado, but several would not fit Arenado’s wish to move to a team geared to push for an immediate championship.
“A team that he thinks is going to win now and consistently for the remainder of his career,”
Goldschmidt and Arenado are coming off seasons in which they struggled offensively, and both veteran All-Stars expressed their frustration for being part of the Cardinals’ inconsistency and second consecutive disappointing season.
Two years after Goldschmidt won the National League MVP and Arenado finished third in voting while leading the league in WAR, neither elite player had even their average season. Arenado hit 16 home runs with a slugging percentage less than .400 for the first time in his career. Likewise, Goldschmidt had a career-low .416 slugging percentage to go with a career-low .302 on-base percentage.
Goldschmidt became a free agent when his contract — the largest ever finalized by the Cardinals in club history — expired at the end of the season.
The Cardinals acquired Goldschmidt from Arizona in November 2018, and before he played a regular-season game for the Cardinals he agreed to a five-year, $130-million extension. In his first year in St. Louis, the Cardinals reached the National League Championship Series before being swept by the Washington Nationals.
Walker, who turns 34 in March, replaced Goldschmidt at first and emerged as one of Arizona’s leaders as it went on to reach the World Series in 2023. Since 2019, Goldschmidt’s first summer in St. Louis, Walker hit .253/.332/.464 for a .797 OPS with 141 home runs and 434 RBIs.
He’s won three consecutive Gold Glove Awards at first base — a streak that began the year after Goldschmidt won a Gold Glove at first with the Cardinals. Walker’s WAR the past six seasons was 15.4.
Goldschmidt’s WAR in that same span while with the Cardinals was 22.9, according to Baseball-Reference.com’s calculations.
Goldschmidt, who turned 37 in September, hit .278/.360/.483 for a .843 OPS with the Cardinals. He had 153 home runs and 477 RBIs. In the past six seasons, Goldschmidt’s Wins Above Replacement as calculated by FanGraphs ranks third behind Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson. Walker is fifth, just behind fellow free agent Alonso. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is ready to cash in as a free agent next winter, debuted in 2019 and ranks sixth at the position when measured by FanGraphs’ WAR.
Even though it would have secured a compensation draft pick if he signed elsewhere, the Cardinals declined to offer Goldschmidt a qualifying offer — a one-year deal at $21.05 million — because they sought to trim salary. That same motivation is driving them to seek a trade for Arenado. Internally, the Cardinals had discussions about re-signing Goldschmidt at a lower salary if the market eventually made that possible — because his defense would provide such stability for a group of young infielders.
That opens playing time for two young catchers, Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages, and allows Contreras to appear as designated hitter at times, allowing Alec Burleson starts at first.
With each move, either a team signing a free agent or a player changing position, the options for where two of the Cardinals’ recent cornerstones go next become clearer.
