Colorado Rockies officially send Nolan Arenado to St. Louis Cardinals

By Kevin Henry |

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait at the Colorado Rockies Spring Training Facility at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 19, 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images)

An earthquake hit Colorado Rockies fans on Friday night when it was first announced that Nolan Arenado was being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. The final aftershock struck on Monday night when the trade became official.

On Monday night, once the deal was official, the @Rockies Twitter account summed up the feelings of every Colorado fan succinctly.

The deal is done. 😢
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) February 2, 2021

In the end, there was no white knight coming in to save the Rockies from making a trade that has been decried by national and local writers time and time again. The Cardinals got what they wanted by adding a generational talent at the hot corner. The Rockies? Well, it’s time to officially start thinking about life without Arenado in the starting lineup. And it’s time to think about what comes next for the franchise, including if they’ll be able to sign Trevor Story (with a contract ending after this season) to a long-term deal and who will man third base for the Rockies when 2021 begins (likely Ryan McMahon).

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With the official announcement of Arenado leaving, we also know what the Rockies will be getting in return. In exchange for Arenado, the Rockies received five players from the Cardinals, including three pitchers. The players sent by St. Louis are infielder Mateo Gil, left-handed pitcher Austin Gomber, right-handed pitcher Tony Locey, infielder Elehuris Montero, and right-handed pitcher Jake Sommers.

Only Gomber has seen time in the Majors, making 14 appearances (including four starts) for the Cardinals last season. The 27-year-old Gomber went 1-1 with a 1.86 ERA in 2020, with 15 walks and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings.

With no Minor League Baseball because of COVID-19, Gil, Locey, Montero, and Sommers did not see time on the field last season. Montero was ranked as the Cardinals’ eighth-highest prospect and Locey was 19th according to MLB.com.

With Arenado gone, the Rockies rebuild should begin. dark. Next

We will update this story below as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: Trevor Story has weighed in with some thoughts after the trade became official.

#Rockies Trevor Story: Nolan’s one of my best friends, baseball aside, so this hurts. He’s the best 3B in the game. I’m sad and a little frustrated to be honest. All I can do is focus on playing the best baseball I can for my teammates and the fans, they deserve it.
— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) February 2, 2021

And here’s more on the “cash considerations” from the Rockies to the Cardinals…

In the final deal, the Rockies will send $51 million to the Cardinals to pay down Arenado’s salary, per source. The majority of that will be due after Arenado’s two opt-out clauses have passed -- assuming he hasn’t opted out of his contract.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 2, 2021

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