MLB rumors: Red Sox linked to Nolan Arenado trade, but there's an obstacle

The Red Sox could pursue Nolan Arenado in a trade, but their pursuit could be blocked by this big obstacle.

Nolan Arenado on one side in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform with an arrow pointing to Nolan Arenado on the other side in a Boston Red Sox uniform, a bunch of question marks in the background

The MLB offseason is here, and one team that could be poised to make some big moves is the Boston Red Sox. While they only finished with an 81-81 record, the Sox managed to exceed expectations last season, and with a budding farm system and loads of money at their disposal, they should be able to make some moves to improve their roster over the next few months.

While free agency is the main avenue for the Red Sox to improve their team, they could also go hunting on the trade market, where there’s expected to be some big names available. One player Boston is showing interest in is St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, but there’s a potential obstacle for them, as the veteran slugger has a full no-trade clause in his current deal.

“Don’t rule out some Red Sox interest in Nolan Arenado,” Sean McAdam of MassLive reported. “There’s been some internal talk about moving Rafael Devers off third base at some point and Arenado is viewed as a potential Plan B. The Cardinals, who are watching their payroll carefully, wouldn’t be opposed to moving him if a team is willing to take on most of the remaining money. One potential obstacle: Arenado has a full no-trade clause.”

Red Sox could add big right-handed bat to lineup in Nolan Arenado

MLB rumors: Red Sox linked to Nolan Arenado trade, but there's an obstacle — Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

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Boston has made it clear they are looking for right handed bats to supplement their lineup, which is a particularly pressing need now that Tyler O’Neill appears set to depart in free agency. While his numbers have dipped a bit in recent years Arenado is still going strong, as he hit .272 with 16 home runs and 71 runs batted in last season. Plus, he’s one of the best defensive third basemen in the league, which would allow the Sox to move Rafael Devers, who has been inconsistent at the hot corner, to designated hitter.

However, even if the Red Sox craft a trade package that the Cardinals like, Arenado could shut it down if he ultimately doesn’t want to get moved. So while they could pursue the longtime star third baseman, the trade clause is something worth being wary of, as it could end up disrupting their plans.