The Arizona Diamondbacks entered the offseason with questions at third base. The team has elected to answer that question by acquiring Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Diamondbacks are certainly familiar with Arenado, who played the first seven seasons of his career with the Colorado Rockies. He was the star of that Rockies team they vanquished in the 2017 Wild Card Game at Chase Field, homering off Archie Bradley in the eighth inning of that contest.
The Diamondbacks have wasted no time in building their roster after deciding to keep Ketel Marte. Marte was the subject of trade rumors this offseason, given his affordable bat, but the team has since moved on.
The deal is very favorable for Arizona. The Cardinals are paying down $26 million of the remaining $37 million owed. The prospect cost isn’t high, as they’re sending Jack Martinez in the deal. Arizona selected Martinez in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Arizona State University.
It’s worth noting that St. Louis didn’t have much leverage. Arenado had a full no-trade clause, and he gained 10-and-5 rights this offseason, which he waived to join the Diamondbacks.
What Nolan Arenado Provides the Diamondbacks
Arenado isn’t the same player he was as a Rockie and early into his Cardinals tenure. He posted the worst full season of his career in 2025, slashing .237/.289/.377 with 12 homers and 1.3 bWAR/0.9 fWAR in 107 games. His 84 wRC+ is the lowest full-season mark since his rookie year (2013).
The underlying metrics on Statcast show those poor numbers were earned. Arenado still had strong contact rates, as evidenced by a 11.2% strikeout rate and only an 17.9% whiff. However, the quality of that contact was poor. His 32.6% hard-hit rate and 3.6% barrel rates both rank in the 12th percentile.
While he’s no longer a productive bat, he still provides value to a contender. He is still a strong defender, with +6 Defensive Runs Saved and +3 Outs Above Average in 2025. That makes him a candidate to be a defensive replacement late in games, if he is not the starter.
Another area where he provides value is clubhouse leadership. That was sorely lacking for much of the 2025 season, as a team expected to be in the postseason chase completely unraveled in July. When the team made their World Series run in 2023, they had Evan Longoria anchoring the clubhouse. Arenado could serve in a similar role for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Arenado Trade Impact on Jordan Lawlar and Blaze Alexander
The Arenado trade certainly impacts the role for both Jordan Lawlar and Blaze Alexander. Both were options to start at third base in 2026. The inclusion of the former All-Star and potential Hall of Famer muddies the picture at the position a little bit.
Arenado’s role with the Diamondbacks isn’t clear yet. With the team just paying $5 million of his salary in 2026 and $6 million in 2027, he could easily serve as a bench player and mentor to Lawlar. In the event the former top prospect doesn’t hit, they have a veteran backstop in place.
The deal could also mean a move to the outfield for Blaze Alexander. He started a handful of games out there at the end of the 2025 season. Roster Resource projects him to be the starting left fielder, which seems more likely after the trade.
How the Nolan Arenado Trade Changes the Diamondbacks’ Infield Picture