Nolan Arenado, the St. Louis Cardinals’ third baseman and an eight-time All-Star with 10 Gold Gloves, is in his 13th Major League Baseball season. Despite being 34 years old and experiencing a decline in offensive performance this year—with a .701 OPS marking a career low—his defense remains exceptional, maintaining a value of 1.0 WAR through 51 games. Prior to the 2025 season, Arenado expressed interest in being traded, but his no-trade clause complicated negotiations for potential deals involving the Cardinals.
Cardinals’ Position and Arenado’s Social Media Post
The Cardinals are currently three games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and are not expected to sell players at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, fans continue to speculate about a possible Arenado trade. This speculation intensified when Arenado, a Southern California native, shared a brief Instagram post captioned “Onward and Upward.” This post quickly attracted numerous comments from Los Angeles Dodgers supporters.
Dodgers Fans React to Arenado’s Message
In December, MLB.com’s John Denton reported that Arenado preferred the Dodgers among his desired trade destinations, a sentiment clearly echoed by fans today. Responses included enthusiastic requests such as,
“We need you in LA bro,”
and
“Should have been a Dodger years ago.”
Fans also mentioned proposed trade ideas and simply urged Arenado to join the Dodgers.
We need you in LA bro,
—Dodger fan
Should have been a Dodger years ago,
—Dodger fan
Demand a trade to the Dodgers for Muncy Miller and Outman,
—Dodger fan
Context and Potential Impact of Arenado’s Trade Speculation
While the Cardinals are currently competitive and unlikely to trade Arenado, his social media activity keeps trade rumors alive, especially linking him to the Dodgers. This attention highlights the ongoing interest in reshaping rosters ahead of the trade deadline. Should a deal occur, Arenado’s defensive excellence and veteran presence would be valuable additions to Los Angeles, giving fans fuel for hopeful anticipation.