Nolan Arenado invoked his no-trade clause in December 2024 to block a potential move from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Houston Astros, citing family priorities and team uncertainties. In a recent interview, he described his current trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks as a straightforward choice due to its closeness to home and the team's young talent. Arenado expressed optimism about rediscovering his form in Arizona after a challenging 2025 season.
Nolan Arenado's decision to nix a possible trade to the Houston Astros last December came down to personal and professional hesitations, as he revealed in Tuesday's edition of Foul Territory. "I have the utmost respect for Houston, I have said this so many times," Arenado said. "They traded Kyle Tucker. [Alex] Bregman wasn't going back. There was a lot of things that I was just a little hesitant [about] at the time. I respect all those players that are there and that organization. They are great."
The third baseman, who spent the 2025 season with the Cardinals, hit 12 home runs and posted a career-low .666 OPS over 107 games amid injuries. About 13 months after the veto, Arenado waived his no-trade clause for a deal to the Diamondbacks earlier this month. He called it "a no-brainer" given his roots in Orange County, California, and family ties in Arizona. "I'm from Orange County [Calif.], so it's easy," he said. "I got family in Arizona, and I really like this team. They're a good team, they play hard and they're young. But I feel like I could really help this team win ballgames and contribute, and obviously being around good, young, hungry players, I think it just helps me stay young."
The move wasn't without difficulty. "I have a family, and I have to make the decisions for it. It wasn’t an easy one, but it was the one I went with," Arenado noted regarding the Astros rejection. Looking ahead, he is confident in adjustments with Arizona's hitting coaches. "Obviously, [I] dealt with some injuries and different things, but I think some of the adjustments I'm trying to make, and the adjustments that I've talked with the hitting coaches already about, I think they're going to pay dividends down the line here," he added.