The most glaring hole in the Los Angeles Angels lineup is at the third base position, especially after the team will officially be without Anthony Rendon in his final year under contract in Anaheim.
One of the rumored replacements for the Halos at third was eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado, but his chances of a return home to Southern California are no longer. On Tuesday morning, the Arizona Diamondbacks struck a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, sending Arenado and cash to the Snakes.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAn Arenado to the Angels move made sense on paper, mostly because of the Angels’ desperation at third and Arenado’s history in SoCal. Playing his high school baseball in Lake Forest, California, just a 25-minute drive from the Big A, Arenado could have closed off his potential Hall of Fame career as close as he could get to where it all started.
Arenado has seen significant regression in the last few seasons, however. In 107 games for the Cardinals in 2025, Arenado saw his first below-average season at the plate since the shortened 2020 season. His production at the plate has been trending in the wrong direction since the 2023 season. The outlook on the 34-year-old looks even more bleak when looking at his 1.3 WAR, his lowest of his 13-year career.
The Diamondbacks will hope to see a return to at least league-average hitting from Arenado, but they will still be able to count on his positive glove. His 10 career Gold Gloves tell the story of the impact Arenado provides at the hot corner, and while his abilities may not be where they were at his peak, he’s still very much a positive on defense.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNow, the Angels are left with one less target to fill their hole at third base. Perhaps it will work out in the Angels' favor, as Arenado is still owed over $30 million over the next two seasons. With his scary signs of regression, it could’ve been yet another move the Halos came to regret if they traded for the aging third baseman.
There are still several available players who can be the everyday third baseman in Anaheim next season. The biggest name of which is Eugenio Suarez, who hit 49 home runs last season. Other names include Yoan Moncada, Luis Urias, and Gio Urshela. With Arenado checked off the list of potential third basemen next season, the Angels are left with more urgency to fill their lineup’s biggest hole.
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