UNDATED (AP) — You can put to rest those persistent trade rumors involving Nolan Arenado. The trade is almost finalized.
A person familiar with the swap tells The Associated Press that the Colorado Rockies would send Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals. The person says Colorado would pay St. Louis a large amount of cash as part of the trade, and Major League Baseball must approve a cash transaction of more than $1 million.
The eight-time Gold Glove third baseman has hit .293 with an .890 OPS over eight seasons, averaging 35 home runs and 114 RBIs per 162 games. Aided in part by hitter-friendly Coors Field, he’s led the National League in home runs three times and topped the majors in RBIs twice.
Arenado slumped during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, hitting .253 with eight home runs and a .738 OPS over 48 games.
Arenado is owed $199 million for the six remaining seasons. The source says Arenado may restructure his contract as part of a trade, which could require approval of the players’ association.
In other baseball news:
— Two-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto and the Phillies have finalized their five-year, $115.5 million contract. Realmuto’s average annual salary of $23.1 million became the highest for a catcher, topping the $23 million Joe Mauer averaged in an eight-year, $184 million deal with the Minnesota Twins that covered 2011-18. Realmuto was acquired from the Marlins in February 2019.
— Cleveland has agreed with free agent outfielder Eddie Rosario on a contract. That’s according to a person familiar with the negotiations who told the Associated Press the deal is pending a physical. Rosario had his best season in 2019, when he reached career-highs with 32 homers and 109 RBIs in 137 games. During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Rosario batted .257 with 13 homers and drove in 42 runs in 57 games.
— The Indians have signed Cesar Hernández to the one-year, $5 million contract the two sides hammered out earlier this week, one-year after the second baseman’s Gold Glove season with the club. The 30-year-old Hernández was an invaluable addition last season. He led the AL with 20 doubles and helped the Indians secure a wild-card berth. He batted .283 with three homers, 20 RBIs and 35 runs in 58 games of the pandemic-abbreviated season.
— Ken Griffey Jr. has been hired as a senior adviser to baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. Major League Baseball said Friday that the Hall of Fame outfielder will work in baseball operations and on youth baseball development.
