Angels’ perfect trade offer for Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado

The Los Angeles Angels are looking to reach the postseason for the first time since 2014. With uncertainty swirling around third baseman Anthony Rendon’s future in Anaheim, however, the Halos may be looking to bring in a new player to handle duties at the hot corner. According to a recent report, third baseman Nolan Arenado is on the Angels’ radar.

“Arenado, meanwhile, is a possibility for the Los Angeles Angels, who are negotiating a buyout agreement with third baseman Anthony Rendon,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote in a recent article. “No trade is imminent, however. The market for Arenado will become better defined after Bregman and Eugenio Suárez sign their free-agent deals.”

A deal likely wouldn’t even begin to come to fruition until the Angels figure out their Rendon situation. The Angels and Rendon are reportedly discussing a contract buyout, but a solution has yet to be revealed.

Nevertheless, Arenado — who has been mentioned as a trade candidate throughout the offseason — is seemingly going to be traded at some point. So, what would it take for the Angels to land the St. Louis Cardinals third baseman?

What an Angels-Cardinals Nolan Arenado trade could look like

Angels receive: 3B Nolan Arenado

Cardinals receive: OF Nelson Rada (Angels’ No. 7 prospect), LHP Talen Haley (Angels’ No. 12 prospect), OF Raudi Rodriguez (Angels’ No. 25 prospect)

The Angels desperately need pitching, and only moving one pitching prospect for a star such as Arenado would surely catch their attention. Meanwhile, the Cardinals receive an outfielder in Rada who, according to MLB.com, is the Angels’ No. 7 overall prospect and No. 1 overall outfield prospect.

St. Louis may prefer a top five prospect, but Arenado is 34 years old and has displayed signs of decline in recent seasons. It is unrealistic to expect the Halos — who as mentioned need pitching — to part ways with their top prospects, as four of their top five overall prospects are pitchers.

Still, the appeal of receiving Rada along with a left-handed pitcher in Haley and another outfielder in Rodriguez could interest the Cardinals.

Rada, 20, runs well and plays quality defense. He’s still developing as an offensive player, but he features an All-Star ceiling. Rada isn’t known for his power-hitting prowess, but he could become a reliable contact hitter at the big league level.

The Cardinals certainly wouldn’t mind adding a player who can steal bases, play quality defense and hit for batting average. He would instantly become a candidate to be the team’s center fielder of the future.

Haley, a 19-year-old southpaw, throws hard, but perhaps his best pitch is his curveball. The pitch is highly-graded and should be a weapon that helps him increase his strikeout numbers.

Finally, Rodriguez features legitimate power potential from the right side of the plate. He also runs well, so he could be a guy who ends up smashing a lot of home runs while stealing a plethora of bases. He does have some swing-and-miss in his game, but acquiring him as part of this deal may still interest the Cardinals.

Why this trade makes sense

Arenado is under contract for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The Angels wouldn’t need to give up a top five prospect as part of this trade, and they could retain their pitching potential for the most part.

The Cardinals surely understand Arenado is at a point in his career where his trade value has slightly decreased. With that being said, he’s still a terrific defender at third base and it likely would not surprise anyone if he bounced back offensively in 2026. Acquiring three prospects — including a top 10 prospect from the Angels — is a valuable return.

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