Merry christmas for those who celebrate!
It’s a time for family and celebration, or at least reflection for those of us who have nowhere to go during the holidays.
Of course, every family has its dysfunction, and sometimes that dysfunction boils over. That was the case for Nolan Arenado and the Colorado Rockies in 2020. Arenados infamous text exchange with Thomas Harding happened just a few days after I took over as editor-in-chief of Purple Row.
Arenado was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals just over a year later.
Fast forward almost six years, and a lot about the world (and baseball) has changed.
In five seasons, the Colorado Rockies have gone 305-504 and steadily fallen each year, going from 74 wins in 2021 to just 43 in 2025 and claiming their first-ever 100-loss season in 2023. Over the same span, the Cardinals have gone 415-395, making the playoffs in 2021 and 2022 but falling short of the Wild. Card round every year. They won 93 games in 2022, but won 71 the following year and finished fifth in the NL Central.
For Arenado personally, he still won two Gold Gloves while a member of the Cardinals, but he hasn’t won the award since 2022, breaking his streak of 10 straight wins. He was also an All-Star in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and finished third in the NL MVP race behind then-teammate (and former division foe) Paul Goldschmidt.
After Arenado’s departure, Ryan McMahon was primarily at the helm of third base. He was named an All-Star in 2024 and was a Gold Glove finalist every year, but never won. But McMahon was traded at the deadline last year, and Kyle Karros doesn’t appear to be rather ready to fill the position full time. For the first time in a long time, the Rockies have instability at third base.
However, there could be a solution: they could reunite with Nolan Arenado.
Yes, it’s a crazy proposition, but hear me out.
Trade rumors have swirled around the former All-Star in recent years, including him a transaction blocked to the Houston Astros in 2024. Arenado has a no-trade clause and has two years left on his contract. The Cardinals owe him $37 million, and the Rockies still owe him $5 million. Maybe they can use that $5 million to pay him to play for them!
The 34-year-old has fallen off offensively of late, hitting just .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs in 2025, but also only played in 107 games due to a shoulder injury. But he still has some pop in his bat and the defense is still top notch.
On the free agent market he will compete against Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suárez. Arenado has shown continued interest in playing for his hometown Dodgers, but they have Max Muncy. Additionally, many contenders are at third base and a team should be willing to give up likely significant assets for him.
He’s been strong lately linked to the Angels, who would take him to Orange County. However, they are only one small little more competitive than the Rockies (and almost as dysfunctional). If that’s the case, why not go back to the team that raised you?
One of the main motivations for Arenado to demand a trade from the Rockies in the first place was his feud with then-general manager Jeff Bridich. However, we are now two GMs away from Bridich, and the new regime has no connection whatsoever with that one. They also seem very invested in turning this thing around. That doesn’t mean the Rockies will win 100 games in 2026, but I don’t believe it will be a sustained downward spiral.
He could serve as a mentor for Karros — who has said Arenado is one of his favorite players — and could also take Kris Bryant’s place as DH when he needs a day off (which is ironic in many ways). Arenado could also generally serve as a familiar veteran presence for a team looking for one.
Now the chances of a Rockies reunion with Nolan Arenado are slim. It’s hard to say whether he or Dick Monfort would like one. But he would fill a lot of holes they currently have, even for just a year or two. And it would be really nice if both sides could make amends, especially before Arenado’s Hall of Fame campaign begins. (Yes, he’ll probably go into the Hall as a Rockie.)
Ultimately, as long as Arenado doesn’t go to the Dodgers, I’ll be quite happy to see him land somewhere else. But the veteran third baseman could be a nice gift to find under the Rockies’ Christmas tree ahead of spring training in 2026.
What do you think? Want to reunite the Rockies with Nolan Arenado? Let us know in the comments!
Paul DePodesta Q&A: How the Rockies front office plans to build a new foundation at Coors Field | Denver Gazette ($)
Kevin Henry sat down with new Rockies PBO Paul DePodesta and asked him a series of questions about hiring his staff and building a roster to take over Coors Field. It is very enlightening!
How quickly can No. 2 prospect Condon Rockies help? | MLB.com
While the Rockies may need an experienced third baseman like Arenado to help them, more importantly they need a first baseman. Charlie Condon (No. 2 PuRP) had an impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League, winning the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award. He probably won’t be on the Opening Day roster in 2026, but he’s impressing DePodesta & Co., so maybe he’ll rise sooner than we think.
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