MLB’s hot stove season is about to hit pause for the holidays, but teams are still trying to squeeze in some last-minute deals before everyone heads home for Christmas.
The Yankees tried to land star third baseman Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals, but St. Louis said no thanks to an offer centered around pitcher Marcus Stroman.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Arenado might actually be more open to waiving his no-trade clause for the Yankees if they can pull off signing his former Cardinals teammate Paul Goldschmidt. The two have great chemistry from their time together in St. Louis.
Arenado, who’s 33, still has three years left on his deal. The Cardinals are willing to eat some of his salary to get better players in return. They recently offered to pay between $15-20 million of Arenado’s contract in a potential trade with Houston, but he vetoed that move.
The Cardinals aren’t just shopping Arenado. They’re also taking calls about closer Ryan Helsley and starting pitchers Erick Fedde and Steven Matz.
Speaking of Goldschmidt, both New York teams want him. The Yankees and Mets are just two of several clubs eyeing the veteran first baseman, with Seattle, Washington, and San Francisco also in the mix.
Last season was tough for the 37-year-old Goldschmidt. He hit just .245 with 22 home runs – his worst showing in the majors. But there’s still some pop in his bat – he was crushing balls at 91.2 mph on average.
He’s not the only first baseman still available. Pete Alonso and Carlos Santana are also looking for new homes after Christian Walker just signed with Houston.
