3 potential trade destinations Cardinals' stars could get traded to during rebuild

Let me get this out of the way, I think all of us have different definitions when it comes to the idea of a rebuild. I believe the St. Louis Cardinals are choosing to enter one with upcoming organizational changes, but how I describe rebuild may be very different than you would.

The Cardinals embracing a rebuild does not mean the club needs to go into tank mode, losing 100+ games for the next few seasons and consistently picking toward the top of the MLB Draft. The Cardinals won just 71 games in 2023 and were able to rebound to finish above .500 in 2024. The majority of the Cardinals' core are young players as well, so they don't need to shed a veteran roster and tear it all down to the studs.

The most significant changes coming to the organization are going to be felt at the front office level and changes coming to player development at the minor league levels. Those things can be done without the Major League club drifting toward the worst teams in baseball, but the changes the Cardinals need to implement will take time, meaning it may take a few years before the Major League club can get back to legit contention in the National League.

If that is the case, 2025 is likely a bridge year when it comes to competing at the highest level. That may also mean that 2026 isn't necessarily their strongest swing at things either. And if those things are the case, we may see some of the veteran stars on this roster consider asking to be elsewhere instead of enduring this rebuild of sorts. Bob Nightengale dropped this morning that the Cardinals are interested in shopping Sonny Gray this offseason, and the tidbits don't stop there.

In Katie Woo's terrific piece over at The Athletic (subscription required), she included a little tidbit about how Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, and Sonny Gray all came to St. Louis under the impression that they would be playing for a competitive team. While there have not been reports yet of any of the three wanting to leave St. Louis, I do find it interesting how pointed Willson Contreras was with his comments regarding the front office following their final home game last Sunday.

All three of these names should be watched over the coming months in regards to a trade for various reasons, as well as closer Ryan Helsley, who just set the franchise record for saves in a single season and is going into a contract year this offseason.

Today I wanted to look ahead toward what kinds of teams could be interested in each of these veterans, as well as what kind of return the Cardinals could even expect in a deal, should they desire to be moved.

Sonny Gray

Destinations: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers

Before I dive into these destinations, I want to once again note how it is still very much up in the air whether or not Gray would be open to a trade. He could very well want to stay in St. Louis, and if that is his desire, he has that no-trade clause. But it does appear that the Cardinals are open to moving him.

The two biggest things that come to mind for me in the case of Gray are his desire to be close to home and to be on a winning ball club. The former really shrinks the list of teams he may be interested in going to, but I think the three I listed could fit the bill.

The most obvious fit to me would be the Atlanta Braves and for a number of reasons. First, Atlanta is close to Gray's home in Nashville, Tennessee, which seemed to be a major factor in Gray's free agency this past offseason. The three teams linked to Gray the most were Atlanta, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, which happen to be the three clubs closest to Nashville geographically.

Second, the Braves will be looking to plug some holes in their rotation this offseason. Max Fried is set to be a free agent and will command a lucrative long-term deal from someone, while Charlie Morton is also coming off of their books as well. The duo combined to make $35 million in 2024, meaning there is a significant chunk of salary freed up to take on the money of a guy like Gray. The Braves will also be monitoring the health of ace Spencer Strider as he works his way back from elbow surgery. Grabbing an arm like Gray for their rotation makes a ton of sense.

It is hard for me to imagine the Cardinals trading Gray within the division, but I think it is at least worth noting Cincinnati, especially since Gray has a no-trade clause. He will be able to dictate the destinations available to him, and with Cincinnati being close to home, he could see them as an up-and-coming team to return to.

As for the third team, since there are not any other baseball towns close to Nashville, I went with the Texas Rangers. Texas will have Max Scherzer's money coming off their books this offseason, and I am sure they will be hungry to rebound after failing to make the playoffs in the title defense season. Gray would be an excellent fit for their rotation should they want to make a big swing there.

Nolan Arenado

Destinations: Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros

If it were not for recent comments by Nolan Arenado regarding his tone shift in how he is pouring into young guys and trying to be a leader through hard times, I would have almost guaranteed you he would be on the first flight to Los Angeles this offseason if he had the choice.

But now I am not quite as sure. And with his struggles on the field this year, his contract became even more difficult to move, even if both the Cardinals and Arenado agree to part ways. I could easily see Arenado signing up for whatever 2025 will be and pushing the front office to get back to October in 2026, but I could also see him wanting to win and deciding that needs to happen somewhere else.

In 152 games this year, Arenado slashed .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI, good for a 102 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR season. He's still a valuable player, but not at the price tag he is being paid right now. Arenado still has three years and $75 million left on his contract, although how that is paid out is a bit confusing. The Rockies are paying the Cardinals $5 million in both 2025 and 2026, so the actual amount the Cardinals are on the hook for the last three seasons is $27 million, $22 million, and $15 million.

The Dodgers have over $70 million dollars coming off their books this offseason, and if they believe Arenado can rebound in a return home to Los Angeles, then I could see them taking a chance on him if the Cardinals ate some of that money.

Let's say the Cardinals eat $8 million per year. The Dodgers would be paying Arenado $21 million, $14 million, and $7 million in the next three seasons, which I could easily see them doing. The Cardinals would then be saving $42 million from their books in doing this, which makes a lot of sense as they look to reinvest money in other areas of the organization.

If Arenado were traded, Los Angeles would be the major betting favorite in my eyes. If I had to pick two other clubs though, I would suggest the Houston Astros and New York Yankees. The Astros will likely lose Alex Bregman this offseason and could see Arenado as a cheaper option (assuming St. Louis eats money on the deal), and the Yankees could use another right-handed bat in their lineup, especially as they are set to lose Gleyber Torres in free agency.

Willson Contreras

Destinations: Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres

If Willson Contreras would like to go elsewhere and be a part of a winning ball club next year, I think there will be no shortage of suitors out there.

His bat has been elite the last two seasons, meaning that even if a club does not view him as their catcher, he would still be well worth the $18 million owed to him each season for the next three years.

Seattle feels like such an obvious fit to me. They have young pitching that would be of interest to St. Louis, and they badly need bats for their lineup to get them over the hump. Contreras would easily be the best bat in the lineup, but could quickly become the number two option if Julio Rodriguez has a bounce-back season. The Mariners' elite rotation could carry them far with the addition of Contreras and maybe another bat or two for the offense.

The Astros stand out here again as well, as if they want to continue to compete at a high-level next year, their lineup likely needs a new right-handed presence in it. They had interest in trading for Contreras at the 2023 trade deadline but balked due to him needing to learn their pitching staff, but with the improvements he made defensively this year and a full offseason and Spring Training to work with their staff, his bat is too good to pass on. And again, they could play him at other positions.

We all know the San Diego Padres love themselves splash moves. They traded for Juan Soto two summers ago, signed Xander Bogaerts the following offseason, traded Soto the next offseason, and then turned around and acquired both Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez. They then bolstered their bullpen at the deadline with Tanner Scott and Jason Adam as well.

Adding Contreras to their lineup of Arraez, Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Jackson Merrill would be a massive get for a club that will likely lose Jurickson Profar in free agency. The Padres have also struggled to get offense from the catcher's spot in recent years, so Contreras would be a massive upgrade for them there.

Again, who knows if Contreras would actually request a trade? I could easily see him wanting to help lead the organization into their next era of baseball and be a part of their next winning team. He wanted to replace Yadier Molina for a reason, and while I would not blame him for leaving now, I think he has plenty of reason to try and be a part of the solution here.