Despite needing a day off, Nolan Arenado was in the starting lineup for what may have been his final game at Busch Stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Before the first pitch, manager Oli Marmol pulled Arenado in favor of Nolan Gorman, giving the six-time Platinum Glove Award winner a chance to be recognized by the crowd for his efforts over the past five years.
After the game, Arenado reflected on his time in St. Louis.
“Whatever happens, I really enjoyed my time here and I was really happy that I got traded here,” Arenado said. “I have no regrets about it. I think some people wonder about it, but I have zero regrets about when I opted in to stay. I love this place, but change is definitely needed.”
In a classy manner, Arenado thanked the fans and showed gratitude toward the organization, while also taking accountability for the Cardinals’ recent struggles.
“The fans here have always been great; they want a winner, a good team and competitive baseball,” Arenado said. “I want that for them, and I wish we could have done that a little better the last few years. That’s why I came here — because I love the fans and the way they appreciate the game.”
The superstar’s arrival never delivered the success either side envisioned. Arenado started strong in St. Louis with two big seasons, including a third-place MVP finish in 2022. Since then, his production has declined, and the Cardinals have failed to advance past the Wild Card round in both 2021 and 2022.
Their best chance came in 2022, when Paul Goldschmidt won MVP and Arenado finished third.
With the Cardinals expected to embrace a youth movement, Arenado is likely to be traded in the offseason. Whatever his future, he leaves St. Louis as an all-time great: a 10-time All-Star, six-time Platinum Glove winner, 10-time Gold Glove winner and five-time Silver Slugger.