5 Cardinals who are most responsible for the club's demise in 2025

Nolan Arenado

The moment the 2024-2025 offseason began, the trade chatter about Nolan Arenado emerged in full force. The Cardinals had approached Arenado about the possibility of waiving his no-trade clause as the team prepared to embark on a "retool" and had a deal in place to send Arenado to the Houston Astros in December. However, Arenado spurned the deal, and he remained in St. Louis for 2025.

Arenado had performed respectably in 2024: He held a .272 average and a .719 OPS, but his power dissipated, as he hit 16 home runs, 10 fewer than in 2023. Still, he seemed to be a piece who could help a competing team get over the top, even if he wasn't able carry the team the way he could in his prime.

Early in 2025, the Cardinals took off, and Arenado exuded what seemed to be reborn passion for the team, saying there were "different vibes" around the club this season. Unfortunately, as fans are fully aware, the good times didn't last, and Arenado's performance was a large part of the Cardinals' skid.

Despite still playing some dazzling defense, Arenado's season at the plate has been his worst by nearly every stat. He's hitting just .236 with 11 home runs, and his OPS is only .660. Arenado placed much of the blame on injuries, citing a finger injury and later a shoulder strain that placed him on the injured list. He said that had he been able to do it over, he would not have played through the finger malady that appeared to cut his power output.

Arenado's lackluster performance this season prevented the Cardinals from unloading him at the trade deadline. The Boston Red Sox were reportedly a strong candidate to land him, but they decided to acquire Alex Bregman instead. The Astros were also once again in play despite Arenado's initial refusal of a trade there. According to Bob Nightengale, Arenado had changed his tune and was willing to head to Houston at the deadline, but the Astros chose to reunite with Carlos Correa instead.

It seems like a foregone conclusion that Arenado has played his final games in St. Louis, and in the event of a trade, the Cardinals will likely be forced to eat a considerable portion of the contract they've taken on, which runs through 2028. Had Arenado shown any semblance of the player he used to be, the Cardinals may have found themselves in serious playoff conversation. Instead, it appears the Arenado era in St. Louis will end with a whimper.