As far as on-field product is concerned, Nolan Arenado “would be a fit” for the New York Yankees.
But according to a New York-based MLB insider, don’t expect the St. Louis Cardinals third baseman to be traded to the Big Apple anytime soon.
Talking about the situation at third base for New York in a conversation Tuesday with B/R Walk-Off, a social media platform operated by Bleacher Report, Jon Heyman of The New York Post stressed that Yankees officials do not want to add any salary to a payroll that is already exceeding the MLB luxury tax threshold.
“As I’ve said all along, the Yankees have shown no interest in Arenado to this point,” Heyman said.
The Yankees would seem to have an obvious need for a boost at third base, with the starting assignment currently split by a pair of less-than-impressive offensive options in Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza. However, MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY.tv had a Heyman-esque response to a reader’s question about the potential for seeing Arenado in pinstripes, stating, “the next time that the Yankees are interested [in Arenado] will be the first time.”
It isn’t clear if Arenado would be interested in waiving his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a deal with the Yankees, who were not one of the teams that Arenado has pre-approved as a potential destination.
Dodgers Third Baseman Max Muncy Addresses Arenado Rumors
A team that is on Arenado’s list, the Los Angeles Dodgers have an apparent need at third base, but they have reportedly expressed sentiments similar to the Yankees regarding a trade for Arenado. In the news and notes section of his May 4 column, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale indicated that, despite the significant struggles of Max Muncy, the Dodgers “have yet to express interest” in trading for Arenado.
That did not stop Muncy from addressing the endless rumors that have been swirling around.
“It’s never easy, but it’s baseball,” Muncy said to Fabian Ardaya with The Athletic. “It’s a business. Especially when you’re on a team like this where they expect to win the World Series. You also understand if there’s any chance that they can improve they’re probably going to take that chance.”
Former GM Proposes Deal Sending Arenado to Detroit
There was one deal suggested early this week that seemed to come out of nowhere. In a column for the Athletic, former GM Jim Bowden detailed "5 MLB trades I’d like to see in May,” including one that would send Arenado to the Detroit Tigers for right-handed pitcher Josh Randall (Detroit’s No. 16 prospect) and third baseman Carson Rucker (No. 22).
“Two low-level prospects should be sufficient for the Cardinals,” Bowden surmised, “as this deal would be more about opening up opportunities for young players such as Nolan Gorman.”
The 22-year-old Randall, Detroit’s third-round pick in 2024, has a 5.06 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 21.1 innings for Single-A Lakeland. Just 20, Rucker was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, and he has posted a slash line of .168/.202/.211 at Lakeland.