St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom addressed potential trades for Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray during the GM Meetings in Las Vegas. Both players expressed a desire to join a contending team in 2026, while the Cardinals focus on their young core. Bloom indicated differing approaches to trading the two veterans.
Aging stars Nolan Arenado, 34, and Sonny Gray, 36, independently decided months ago to prefer playing for a contending team in 2026, as the Cardinals plan to build around their young core. New president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, attending his first MLB event as Cardinals' leader at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, discussed the situations on Tuesday.
For Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove third baseman who joined the Cardinals in 2021 to boost their World Series chances, Bloom emphasized a mutual agreement to explore a new fit. Arenado struggled at the plate in 2025, missed six weeks due to injuries, and received a warm ovation in what was likely his final game at Busch Stadium. "With Nolan, it is clear to everybody that it would be best to find a different fit," Bloom said. He added, "We are on the same page with Nolan... I believe he’s going to the Hall of Fame. One of the better players in the history of the game. We all feel like it’s best to find a different fit."
Bloom's predecessor, John Mozeliak, nearly traded Arenado to the Astros last December, but Arenado vetoed it using his no-trade clause. Bloom has been in talks with teams about a potential deal.
Gray's case differs. The right-hander signed with the Cardinals in late 2023, partly to stay near his Nashville offseason home, and has been happy. In 2025, he went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA, a 5% walk rate (93rd percentile), and 26.7% strikeout rate (79th percentile), per Baseball Savant. He recorded 201 strikeouts, his second straight 200-strikeout season (203 in 2024), becoming the fifth Cardinals pitcher to achieve consecutive such seasons. Gray finished second in the 2023 AL Cy Young voting.
With one year left at $35 million for 2026 and a $5 million buyout for 2027, Gray appeals to contenders seeking a veteran without a long-term commitment. Possible destinations include the Braves, Reds, Rangers, and Astros. Bloom noted high interest: "We’ve definitely been listening on him... he’s still one of the better pitchers in the league. We value him very highly... we’ve talked to him, and I think we all feel like there might be something that makes sense, but we’ll continue to explore that." Both players hold no-trade clauses.