Wearing the birds on a bat across his chest, Nolan Arenado was treated to a ceremonial start and an ovation nearly deafening during the St. Louis Cardinals’ 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Asked if he had thought about Sunday’s game being his final one at Busch Stadium, he shared, “I mean, it’s starting to really feel like it.” Arenado seems to know that he and the Cardinals aren’t aligned on the same paths.

Nolan Arenado had made his preference known in the offseason. The 34-year-old would rather play for a contending team than one in rebuilding mode. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a great time in St. Louis playing for the Cardinals. He has slashed .236/.292/.365/.657 with 10 homers and 49 RBIs across 102 games this season.

“Whatever happens, I really enjoyed my time here and I was really happy I got traded here. You know, I love this place. I loved it. But, you know, change is definitely needed.” And right now, he is looking forward to delivering his best in the Cardinals’ six remaining games. But his only regret?

“I wish we could have done it a little bit better the past few years for them. Unfortunately, we just haven’t been able to do that,” he reflected. From a performance standpoint, the Cardinals’ offensive regression over the past three seasons has been reflected in the drop-off in attendance at Busch Stadium.

“I love the way they show up. And unfortunately, you know, they haven’t showed up because we’re not giving them the proper game that they deserve to see,” Nolan Arenado added. For nearly two decades, 18 years to be precise, the Cards had drawn over 3 million fans. But in 2025?

They drew only 2.25 million attendees. In fact, in the history of Busch Stadium, the club even saw some of its smallest crowds ever this season.

By the end of the night, Arenado admitted, “I’m anticipating probably not coming back. Obviously change is coming and it needs to come.” Currently, there are two years and $42 million left in what he feels will be his last contract with the Cardinals.

The Cardinals could use Nolan Arenado as their trade bait

Recently, Josh Jacobs from Redbird Rants floated the idea that the Cardinals are “expected” to shop the 34-year-old veteran third baseman this offseason. In fact, Arenado was also one of the most popular names during the trade deadline buzz. While he opted to remain with his team back then, this time, it’s not the same.

If the Cardinals don’t find a perfect trade suitor, they might release him from the roster, as per Jacobs. Because after this trying season, the Cards are ready to admit that they’re in a rebuild mode. And under Chaim Bloom, the club could let go of many crucial pieces this offseason to begin the process.

Bloom’s goal is to make the team ready to be a contender again. Now, the two crucial pieces who are very likely to get shopped are Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado. Plus, even if they weren’t planning on trading Arenado, he himself would’ve opted out anyway.

He indirectly admitted it on Sunday afternoon.

So, the Cards should trade Arenado to any club they find. But given that Nolan Arenado is expensive and has struggled offensively this season, it might not be easy to get a landing spot. Still, if he plays well in the remaining games, teams might go all in for him.