What the inclusion of the Los Angeles Angels on Nolan Arenado's trade list really means
It makes more sense when you separate perception from reality.
Nolan Arenado and his agent, Joel Wolfe, would like you to think he’d play wherever a winning opportunity lived. Here, there, wherever. Geography and position be damned, he will go there if it means he has to play first, coach, cook meals, and make his teammates’ bed. That’s the perception being distributed by the player and his agent, who has been allowed by the St. Louis Cardinals to help facilitate a trade that helps both sides move on.
The reality is that he will go to places for other reasons outside of a postseason chase. While the perception built around his career makes him look like a team-first, passionate baseball warrior, Arenado is also human and understands age changes situations. When you see the Los Angeles Angels on a list of teams he would accept a trade to, the initial reaction is shock and confusion. Then again, remove the perception and the reality is easier to recognize.
Arenado is willing to leave a place under reconstruction that could still produce some wins to a place that hasn’t made the playoffs in nine years and hasn’t won a World Series since 2002. It’s like going from a pulse to no pulse at all. How does a player whose agent tells the media that winning is a priority chose a place that did Albert Pujols dirty in the end and doesn’t have Shohei Ohtani anymore? He is willing to be an Angel because there’s a comfort in obscurity.
Playing for Colorado and St. Louis must have drained some of the enthusiasm of winning and chasing it constantly from Arenado. He’s never been a leader in the clubhouse, and never wished to be that guy. Remember what Adam Wainwright said about Jason Heyward leaving St. Louis where he would have been the guy for Chicago where he would be an ensemble cast member? The same idea applies to Arenado. It’s what most players wish to be: Just another guy on the team.
Think about it. He was one of the Cards who campaigned for the team to sign some veteran presences before the 2024 season. Paul Goldschmidt and Arenado were never interested in being “the guy” in a clubhouse, and that’s completely fine. You don’t sign a long-term deal to be the leader of a clubhouse; it’s something that you do or don’t do. They have moved away from it during their time in St. Louis.
Arenado sees privacy, obscurity, and possibly a cool chance to play with Mike Trout in Los Angeles. The warm weather of Southern California is a topical reason for the placement of the Angels on his list, but there’s something about playing in a spot where the pressure from fans isn’t as apparent. The big brother Dodgers just won their second World Series title in five years, so nobody cares about the Angels. For a guy coming off a rough year, it’s a perfect rebuilding opportunity for him.
There’s an allure in that situation, especially if you have a contract and are turning 34 in April. If he stayed in St. Louis, the young players on this youth movement would inevitably look up to him and think of him as the leader. What other player on this team is more well known right now than Arenado? There’s a pressure in that, and the pressure no longer comes with a guaranteed high payroll and October presence. Why would he wish to leave supposed baseball heaven? For the next few years, it may not be so heavenly. If he doesn’t bounce back, it’ll be worse.
Stinking for the Angels comes without the fan interest. Cards fans will roast you until your skin tenderizes; Angels fans won’t even know you’re there. For a guy who has never pledged himself to be the outgoing, follow me type, it fits.
There’s also the fact that it’s very close to home for Arenado, which is a comfort in its own right. A strong showing in 2025 could make him a small time thrill in the more wayward Los Angeles baseball country. If things go bad, nobody will care.
Now, there is every intention of Wolfe pushing the other more notable teams first before pressing the Angels panic button. The Dodgers or Yankees could bite, and another injury could open up a spot on better teams. Then again, the Angels are famous for spending stupid money that should go somewhere else.
While some can be surprised by him wishing to leave STL to accept losing somewhere else, I see it as a guy who doesn’t want to be stuck in the process of being good and trying to be good. Ten years ago, he was building something in Colorado and believed in a playoff hunt. Now, he’s at the end of his career and doesn’t want to be the player instructor that the pups gather around.
What it also says unfortunately is that playing in St. Louis isn’t as grand as it used to be. The winning is gone, but the reputation around the club took a hit. Rival front offices didn’t rate the team so poorly in that Athletic poll last year due to the placement of provel on pizza. John Mozeliak’s baseball savviness is at an all time low. Don’t forget that Arenado may also feel betrayed by the insistence of the team pushing for World Series trophies in an effort to get him to drop his opt-out clauses… twice.
In the end, he may want out. It doesn’t make complete sense, but it’s not illogical nor is it hard to piece together using certain events. If it can’t be with a win-hungry team, going home to play in front of a half-empty stadium with just the everyday thought of playing good baseball doesn’t look too bad.
The Angels may not be high on Arenado’s list, but they’re there due to the promise of national privacy from relevance. Also, a banner first half could see the team eventually flip him to a contender.
While the perception may be that Arenado wants to win at all costs, the reality is that the postseason isn’t the end all/be all of his demands list, at least not anymore.