Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) hits a one run single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been trying to trade star third baseman Nolan Arenado but things certainly haven’t worked out at this point.

St. Louis wants to trim down the payroll. That has been the team’s north star and has driven decision-making so far this offseason. The Cardinals declined Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson’s club options early in the offseason and there hasn’t been much to show for it since.

That certainly will change before Spring Training, but all eyes are on Arenado. Rumored suitors are dropping down. The Houston Astros wanted him but have pivoted in a different direction. The New York Yankees were linked to him but that has been shut down. There are other teams, like the Boston Red Sox, but the odds of a deal don’t seem to be as high as they once were.

The Athletic’s Katie Woo and Will Sammon even said the team is facing a “plausible reality” where Arenado remains in St. Louis.

“Now both the Cardinals and Arenado are facing a plausible reality where the 10-time Gold Glove winner remains in St. Louis next season,” Woo and Sammon said. “There has been minimal traction on Arenado’s front since the Astros deal fell through. Two prominent AL East teams — the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees — have been linked to Arenado throughout the winter, though it remains unclear where either team currently stands in its interest level…

“The Cardinals will still actively try to trade Arenado, but they will be rather reluctant to eat a larger portion of his salary, as the whole point of trading Arenado is to off-load his contract. (John Mozeliak) did not rule out the possibility of Arenado returning next year but added that he was ‘not sure that puts us exactly where we want to be.'”