The New York Yankees have competition around Major League Baseball this winter. Whether it’s in their pursuit of Roki Sasaki or trading for Nolan Arenado, other teams are involved. In a perfect world, the Yankees would land every player they want for a favorable price. However, that isn’t likely.
The Yankees need to add another piece or two, and more importantly, can’t allow their targets to land with the Boston Red Sox or other rivals in free agency or a trade.
In a proposed trade from Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, that’s what would happen. Rymer proposed a trade that would send Arenado to the Red Sox.
“There have already been two failed attempts to trade for Nolan Arenado. The New York Yankees reportedly tried to base a deal around Marcus Stroman, but the Cardinals said no. Then the Houston Astros took a shot at Arenado, except this time he said no via his no-trade clause.
“Notably, neither club is among the six teams Arenado is reportedly willing to play for. And with respect to the Southern California native’s rumored fondness for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s the Red Sox who stand out from the pack… Even after the Garrett Crochet trade, the Red Sox remain loaded with young position players. That can only help if they pursue Arenado, as St. Louis’ rejection of Stroman indicates that a bad-contract-swap involving, say, Masataka Yoshida is not happening,” Rymer wrote on December 31.
Yankees Like Arenado, but Contract Still an Issue
The New York Yankees trading for Arenado would make them a better team, but at what price? New York has prospects to move, but Arenado is owed $21.0 million in 2025, $16.0 million in 2026, and $15.0 million in 2027.
Unless the St. Louis Cardinals would be willing to eat some of his money, trading for him wouldn’t be the best plan for the Yankees.
According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the Yankees like Arenado, but his contract has continued to be an issue in trade talks.
“Early in the offseason, the Cardinals made clear their plans to trade Nolan Arenado, with president of baseball operations John Mozeliak citing financial reprieve as the driving factor. St. Louis, which plans to take a step back and reset its roster in 2025, announced in October its plans to lower team payroll and redirect its focus to upgrading its player development system…
“Two prominent AL East teams — the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees — have been linked to Arenado throughout the winter, though it remains unclear where either team currently stands in its interest level… However, multiple league sources say that while the Yankees like Arenado, they aren’t interested in taking on the majority of his contract, something that would almost certainly need to happen from the Cardinals perspective,” Woo wrote on December 30.
Will the Yankees Trade for Arenado
As of now, the New York Yankees trading for Arenado doesn’t seem likely. However, it’s important to remember that offseason plans can quickly change. If the Yankees end up believing Arenado would put them over the top, they should be able to find a way to get him in the Bronx.
A lot would have to happen, with the St. Louis Cardinals being the deciding factor, but anything is possible. The Cardinals could eventually eat some of his money, allowing the future Hall of Famer to join the Yankees or another team.
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Red Sox Trade Proposal Would Be Nightmare Scenario for Yankees