The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired third baseman Nolan Arenado in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. In exchange, the Cardinals receive RHP Jack Martinez. The Cardinals are also paying $31 million of the $42 million left on Arenado’s contract.
The Players Involved
Nolan Arenado to Diamondbacks
Arenado, in an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, put up career lows in his slash line stats, hitting only 12 home runs in 107 games. It’s truly shocking, as Arenado is only two years removed from his last All-Star nod, and three years removed from placing third in MVP voting in a Cardinal uniform.
After getting off to a hot start to begin his career with the Colorado Rockies, Arenado cooled off in St. Louis without the benefit of playing at Coors Field 81 games per season. He sported a .293/.349/.541 slash line with an OPS of .890 (121 OPS+) while averaging 35 homers, 114 RBI, 39 doubles, three triples, and 81 runs scored per 162 games with the Rockies. For the Cardinals, Arendado slashed .266/.322/.456 with an OPS of .778 (115 OPS+) while averaging 27 home runs, 97 RBI, 32 doubles, one triple, and 78 runs scored per 162 games.
Jack Martinez to Cardinals
Martinez began his collegiate career at Division III Trinity University. He produced a phenomenal sophomore year, pitching to a 2.12 ERA in 51 innings. He transferred for his junior year, and again after his senior year. His last two seasons at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Arizona State, respectively, were not good. He pitched to a 4.40 ERA in 2024 with the Ragin’ Cajuns and a 5.47 ERA with the Sun Devils. But he throws four pitches: a 93-97 MPH fastball, a diving changeup, a slow slider, and a curveball.
Martinez was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft and has yet to play a game in the minors.
What it Means for Both Teams
For the Diamondbacks, this was a very low-risk move. Trading a low-upside minor leaguer to fill the hole at third base was a smart move. To top it off, they only have to pay $11 million to Arenado over the next two years. He fills the spot previously held by Blaze Alexander after the Diamondbacks traded Eugenio Suarez to the Seattle Mariners at the 2025 trade deadline.
For St. Louis, they should be thankful anyone is trading for Arenado, who is 34 years old and coming off what is easily the worst season of his major league career in 2025. Arenado isn’t the player he was when he signed an eight-year $260 million deal with the Rockies ($32.5 million AAV). It was time for a change of scenery for the six-time platinum glove winner. Time will tell if Arenado’s return to the NL West revitalizes his career.
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