Fading Cardinals star has doubts on whether he can rediscover past success

The St. Louis Cardinals have been on a scorcher over the past month, but one of the most well-known players on the team appears not to have been invited to the party. Longtime superstar Nolan Arenado is hitting just .247 on the season and .172 over his past seven games.

In an interview with MLB.com's John Denton, Arenado was uncertain about whether he could return to his production from earlier in the season.

This isn't the first time that Arenado has been at a loss over the past few seasons. In 2024, Arenado was holding a career-low .663 OPS on May 27, when he made similar comments about being unsure how to fix his issues in the batter's box.

Arenado has been a consummate professional during his time in St. Louis, especially over the past offseason, when countless trade rumors swirled around him. He displayed his selfless nature again prior to a recent game, where he mentioned to Cardinals manager Oli Marmol that he should be moved lower in the lineup in deference to more productive bats. Despite this, his statements leave something to be desired when it comes to player confidence.

Not every player is going to be Adam Wainwright in terms of positivity, and excess optimism from a struggling player can grow exasperating to fans. But Arenado's quotes about how he hasn't felt like himself and isn't sure he can get it back hint at a dejected player who is being forced to come to terms with normal age-related decline.

To his credit, Arenado has appeared more enthusiastic and happy to be a member of the Cardinals this year than in the past few seasons. He has displayed ample emotion when reacting to clutch hits and defensive plays, such as the double play against the Kansas City Royals on May 17. Part of this reinvigorated passion is likely the Cardinals' recent run of success, but it could also be a realization that if he can't contribute on the field the way he used to, he can serve as a cheerleader for his teammates.

If Arenado's slide continues, the Cardinals could be in a rough situation. The team will likely continue to place him in the lineup given his still-strong defense, which Marmol covets, and hope that the other bats can continue to generate offense. More concerning is the fact that his value at the trade deadline would plummet, forcing the Cardinals to decide whether it's best to hold onto him for the remainder of the season or accept an unremarkable return from one of Arenado's approved teams.

The end could be nigh for one of the game's former greats, and his comments won't instill confidence in fans that he will turn around his season. But in what has been a surprisingly competitive season thus far in St. Louis, Cardinals fans have no choice but to hope that he can find his old magic one more time.