BOSTON, January 16, 2026 — The Boston Red Sox’s search for infield help took another hit Tuesday afternoon as the St. Louis Cardinals traded veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks, further narrowing the options for a team desperately seeking offensive punch.
A Familiar Face Off the Market
The Red Sox were strongly linked to Arenado last offseason, but his availability has now evaporated.
- Nolan Arenado, an eight-time All-Star, is now with the Diamondbacks.
- Boston had previously shown significant interest in acquiring Arenado.
- The Red Sox have been active in trades this offseason, acquiring Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras from St. Louis.
- Infielder Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals remains a potential target for Boston.
- The team is proceeding cautiously, wary of depleting its depth.
The Red Sox had identified Arenado as a potential upgrade at third base, a position of need, and his right-handed bat would have balanced their lineup. He also shares a strong rapport with Red Sox infielder Trevor Story, having been teammates for years with the Colorado Rockies.
Arenado, who will turn 35 in April, boasts an impressive resume: eight All-Star selections, five Silver Slugger Awards, and a remarkable 10 Gold Gloves. He also holds the record for most Platinum Gloves (six) awarded to the best defensive player in each league since the award’s inception in 2011.
Power Numbers in Decline
Despite his accolades, Arenado’s performance has dipped recently. Last season, in 107 games, he posted a career-worst slash line of .237/.289/.377. His power numbers, a critical area where the Red Sox need improvement, have also decreased. From 2015 to 2022, he averaged 38.5 home runs per 162 games, but has combined for just 54 over the last three seasons, including 16 in 2024 and 12 last year.
Arenado was reportedly willing to waive his full no-trade clause to join the Red Sox last winter, before the team signed Alex Bregman. It’s unclear whether the two teams revisited trade discussions this offseason, but both players are now unavailable.
Boston has already completed two trades with St. Louis this winter, acquiring right-hander Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras. They’ve also been linked to Cardinals infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan, a versatile player who can play second base, third base, and left field. Donovan, 29 on January 16, won’t become a free agent until 2028, and batted .287 with a .775 OPS in 118 games last year, maintaining a career .282 average and .772 OPS through four seasons.
The Red Sox could potentially deploy Donovan at second base and rookie Marcelo Mayer at third, or vice versa.
However, the rebuilding Cardinals are also receiving interest in Donovan from the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners. At Saturday’s Fenway Fest, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow expressed caution about making another trade.
“In order to acquire players like Sonny and Johan (Oviedo) and Willson and others, we’ve had to move really good players, and the depth that we’ve acquired over the last couple of years is something that we don’t want to take for granted,” Breslow said. “So I think if there’s an opportunity to continue to invest in this team via free agency, that’s a path that we would probably prefer.”
Breslow’s comments came before the news that Alex Bregman had chosen to sign with the Chicago Cubs later that evening.
The Red Sox have made 10 trades this offseason and remain the only team in Major League Baseball without a major league free-agent signing.
