Nolan Arenado stands out in Arizona

No matter where he played, Nolan Arenado has always been a fan favorite—even among baseball fans in general!

Admittedly, the passage of time didn't spare him. The last few seasons had been more difficult. Baseball is a game of statistics, and the numbers weren't in his favor. In short, the relationship between the player and his team, the St. Louis Cardinals, ended on good terms at the end of 2025. Like an old married couple, both sides knew it was time to move on. And so the 35-year-old American found himself in Arizona to revive his career, while the Cards, for their part, were able to make room for their young prospects.

The beauty of it all is that both Nolan Arenado and St. Louis came out on top in this scenario. The infielder seized the opportunity to revitalize his career and is playing solid baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026. The Diamondbacks will be fighting until the very last game of the season for a spot in the playoffs. As for the Cardinals, they're having a season that's exceeded expectations. They won't be part of the October playoffs, but they could finish this season above the .500 mark, and the young prospects have delivered.

The Stuff of Great Players

There's not much you can hold against Nolan Arenado. If there's one thing we absolutely cannot fault him for, it's his desire to win. Back then, he wanted to leave the Colorado Rockies organization because he no longer believed in the Rockies' chances of being competitive and winning a World Series. The same thing happened with the Cardinals and their rebuilding plan.

At 35, you can really feel his hunger for a championship. He has fewer seasons left ahead of him than he has behind him. That's just how life goes. He's giving it his all, as his stats show. It's no small feat for a 35-year-old athlete to have a .243 batting average and 26 home runs on his record. Not to mention his .770 OPS.

The D-Backs have the day off today. In the standings, they're 3.5 games behind the San Diego Padres, who hold the final playoff spot. They'll play their next three games at home against the powerful Yankees, before wrapping up their 2026 season on the road with a three-game series against the Rockies, followed by another series against the Padres. Their season could very well come down to the very last game, and it's a safe bet that Arenado will give it his all to extend his season—and his team's!

Created by humans, assisted by AI.