MLB Rumors: Cardinals Star To Decline Opt-Out & Stay Put

When star players come to the St. Louis Cardinals, they rarely want to leave. The baseball-crazy town and the incredible fans—not to mention the constant winning—usually ensures players' happiness. 

Safe to say that Nolan Arenado has enjoyed his two All-Star seasons in St. Louis, to the point where he is extremely unlikely to exercise an opt-out to enter free agency after this season—even after two All-Star years proving that he wasn't strictly a product of the thin air in Colorado.

MLB Insider Jon Heyman says Arenado is staying put in the Gateway to the West.

Nolan Arenado is said to love St. Louis so much he will remain with the team despite his opt-out. He bought a house there and appreciates having a great relationship with the front office after Colorado. They could alter his deal, but friends say he’s going nowhere.

The 31-year-old third baseman has five years and $144M remaining on the 8-year, $260M  contract he signed with the Colorado Rockies. The end of this year is the last "opt-out" clause in the deal. As Heyman notes, it's possible that the Cardinals and Arenado could agree to restructure the deal somewhat, but there's no chance he's entering free agency.

Arenado is hitting .296 this season with a .900 OPS, both numbers slightly above his career marks, while adding 29 HR and 98 RBIs with almost two weeks to play. The counting numbers are very similar to what he posted in 2021, his first year in St. Louis.

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