Nolan Arenado feels "different vibes" with the Cardinals in 2025

As the weather heats up, so too have the St. Louis Cardinals. As of May 12, the team has won eight games in a row and improved its record to 22-19. Third baseman Nolan Arenado has served as a key cog in the streak, going 11 for 27 in his last seven games and hitting a home run and a double.

An article from Katie Woo in The Athletic (subscription required) mentioned how Arenado and the rest of the Cardinals are excited to arrive at the ballpark and how the current season is getting the team amped up to win.

"First time in a couple years where it feels like we're coming to the ballpark ready to win a ballgame instead of coming to the ballpark hoping for something good to happen. It's a different vibe, for sure."

Nolan Arenado

The new vibes around the Cardinals are rubbing off on Arenado and could even affect his and the team's future decisions.

There's a layer of irony to 2025 being the year of good feelings for Arenado and the Cardinals. The front office has waffled between terms like "retool" and "youth movement" to describe their goals this season, with the unsubtle overtone of not expecting an especially competitive team. The team was also not shy about its intention to trade Arenado, but after he turned down a trade to the Houston Astros and, apparently, the Los Angeles Angels and no other team expressed interest in his services at the Cardinals' asking price, the veteran appeared stuck on the roster to the detriment of the younger players whom the Cardinals wanted to give a chance.

No one would fault Arenado if he felt slighted by the organization that had promised a winning window during his time in St. Louis and likely affected his decision not to opt out of his contracts following 2021 and 2022. His willingness to waive his no-trade clause after 2024 suggested that Arenado was ready to give up on the team's chances of contending.

Now, as the Cardinals sit just one game out of first place in the NL Central, Arenado seems revitalized and ready to push the Cardinals to a surprise run at the division crown. He's enjoyed a moderate bounce-back campaign thus far in 2025 and has been competing at the plate, owning a 10.1% walk rate, which is the second highest of his career. His trade value could be on an upswing, but with the Cardinals potentially attempting to go for the gold one more time in John Mozeliak's final year as the president of baseball operations, will the Cardinals be willing to trade Arenado, and would Arenado be amenable to a trade out of St. Louis?

The prevailing thought was that the Cardinals would revisit trade talks for Arenado when they were out of the running at the trade deadline. But if they continue to play like they have been, the Cardinals could have a legitimate chance to shock the baseball world and earn a playoff spot. If they remain competitive through July and Arenado continues to play at a respectable level, the Cardinals will likely be happy to retain him through 2025. On Arenado's side, the emergence of young players such as Ivan Herrera and Matthew Liberatore could further motivate him to stick with the team, believing that better days will arrive sooner rather than later.

It's been a topsy-turvy ride for Arenado and the Cardinals, but his comments indicate a player and a team that are in high spirits, and that's to be expected after an eight-game winning streak. But as the Cardinals enter a series against a tough Philadelphia Phillies squad, it's worth wondering whether the Cardinals and Arenado can maintain this confidence.