Nolan Arenado has spent this winter on the trade block. The St Louis Cardinals made their plan to move the eight-time All-Star explicitly clear in December at the MLB Winter Meetings. Since then, one team has been at the top of the list of suitors.
“Multiple league sources indicate the Red Sox represent Arenado’s last chance to get dealt before the 2025 season,” wrote Katie Woo of The Athletic. “If Boston misses on Bregman, it could pivot to trading for Arenado.”
The Boston Red Sox defense in 2024 ranked 29th in fielding percentage, 29th in errors, and accumulated 95 unearned runs. Third baseman Rafael Devers posted a -5 Outs Above Average last season, his fifth time with an OAA that low in his eight seasons. The decision to move Devers from third to designated hitter feels like a matter of time. The question is: Has that time come?
Arenado represents a major upgrade in the field, even at age 34. His 2022 Gold Glove marked his 10th consecutive season to receive the award, and in the two seasons since has ranked in the 75th and 86th percentile respectively in terms of Fielding Run Value.
Acquiring Arenado does present a bit of a puzzle for Boston, though. With Masataka Yoshida currently at DH, and a relatively hefty $54 million owed to him over the next three years, moving Yoshida seems to be a requisite before adding Arenado to the roster.
The union makes sense on paper as it fits Boston’s needs for improved defense and a right-handed bat, but the moving parts needed to make Arenado fit on the Red Sox could be the reason for the holdup.
That delay has not seemed to move Boston from top contention for Arenado, as the Red Sox are reportedly still his best chance of getting dealt before the season.
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