Speculation surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals intensified Tuesday as clarity began to emerge following the Nolan Arenado trade, sharpening focus on the organization’s long-term direction. With the rebuild now firmly underway, new insight into roster plans has helped define expectations for the months ahead.
The Cardinals officially sent Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks, receiving right-handed pitcher Jack Martinez while absorbing a significant portion of the remaining contract. The move closed a major chapter for the franchise and opened broader discussion about how aggressively St. Louis intends to reshape its roster moving forward.
MLB Network shared a segment on X (formerly known as Twitter) featuring analysis from The Athletic’s Katie Woo, who addressed what comes next for the Cardinals in the wake of the blockbuster deal. Her appearance focused on upcoming personnel decisions and how the front office is approaching the next phase of the rebuild.
What's next for the Cardinals after trading Nolan Arenado?@katiejwoo joins #MLBTonight with potential plans for third base and the latest on the market for Brendan Donovan. pic.twitter.com/WJWuu2BYlj
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 13, 2026
Woo provided an update on growing Brendan Donovan trade rumors, noting that league-wide interest continues to take shape.
“Donovan has real interest. He has been connected to the Mariners and Giants, even the Red Sox. That would be the third time.”
She explained that unlike recent transactions designed primarily to shed payroll, a potential Donovan deal would be driven by prospect value rather than financial relief.
“Brendan Donovan represents their best chance to get as much of a return as possible in terms of prospect value. The primary purpose of previous trades was to offload significant veteran money—that’s not the case here.”
Attention then turned to the Cardinals’ outlook at third base, where internal options could soon receive extended opportunities.
“We know the Cardinals are rebuilding. We know they want the youth. J.J. Wetherholt fits that narrative pretty well. I wonder if we could see him get a legitimate chance to crack the Opening Day roster now that third base seems to be an open competition.”
The comments reinforce a clear organizational pivot. With Arenado gone, St. Louis appears prepared to accelerate youth development, evaluate internal talent, and leverage remaining trade assets as the rebuild enters its next phase.
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