Nolan Arenado described his decision to waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal to the D-backs earlier this month as “a no-brainer” because of the proximity to his home and the team’s wealth of burgeoning talent.
“I'm from Orange County [Calif.], so it's easy,” he said recently. “I got family in Arizona, and I really like this team. They're a good team, they play hard and they're young. But I feel like I could really help this team win ballgames and contribute, and obviously being around good, young, hungry players, I think it just helps me stay young.”
In December 2024, Arenado did invoke his no-trade clause to block a possible deal that would have sent him from the Cardinals to the Astros. About 13 months later, Arenado disclosed on Tuesday what went into his decision to nix that potential swap.
“I have the utmost respect for Houston, I have said this so many times,” Arenado said during Tuesday’s edition of Foul Territory. “They traded Kyle Tucker. [Alex] Bregman wasn't going back. There was a lot of things that I was just a little hesitant [about] at the time. I respect all those players that are there and that organization. They are great.
“I have a family, and I have to make the decisions for it. It wasn’t an easy one, but it was the one I went with.”
Arenado spent the entire 2025 season with St. Louis, hitting 12 home runs and recording a career-low .666 OPS over 107 games. But he thinks he can rediscover his All-Star form with Arizona.
“Obviously, [I] dealt with some injuries and different things, but I think some of the adjustments I'm trying to make, and the adjustments that I've talked with the hitting coaches already about, I think they're going to pay dividends down the line here,” he said.