Former Rockies third baseman could join rival NL West team

As if this deal could not get any worse for the Colorado Rockies, former All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado just might end up on a divisional rival's roster.

Arenado, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Rockies said he would waive his no-trade clause if he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times.

Arenado, 32, was a franchise third baseman for the Rockies from 2013-2020. During that time, he was a four-time All-Star, Platinum Glove Winner, Silver Slugger, eight-time Gold Glove winner, and a three-time NL home-run leader.

Just two years ago, Arenado was part of a blockbuster trade that sent him to the St. Louis Cardinals in a deal that swapped him for LHP Austin Gomber, first baseman Elehuris Montero, shortstop Mateo Gil and RHP Tony Locey and Jake Sommers. Part of the deal also required the Rockies to trade Arenado to the Cardinals and included $50 million cash.

A trade to Los Angeles would be an utter nightmare for Colorado as the Rockies have only seen Gomber and Montero make their MLB debut. Gil was released by the Rockies this past offseason and was claimed by the New York Mets. Locey is now part of the Tampa Bay Rays organization and Sommers is still part of the Rockies single-A affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies.

Why a trade could happen

The Dodgers are currently in a competitive battle for first place in the NL West with a commendable record of 58-43. They are closely followed by the San Francisco Giants (56-47) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (55-48). Despite struggling with injuries throughout the season, the Dodgers have persevered and maintained their winning streak. Additionally, top prospect Miguel Vargas has not lived up to expectations and has been demoted to the minors. The team has recently relied on Max Muncy as their starting third baseman.

The Cardinals, are having an underwhelming season with a record of 46-54. They're most likely going to finish the year with a losing record for the first time since 2007 with a record of 78-84. Before the All-Star break, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak stated he wasn't sure who would the team would end up trading before the deadline, but rumors have circled around the possibility of Jack Flarethy, Paul Goldschmidt and Arenado being traded.

Right now, the Cardinals rank seventh in all of baseball in hitting. But the pitching has been atrocious for the Cardinals as they rank 23rd overall with a 4.61 team ERA.

If the Cardinals are looking to acquire pitching depth, the Dodgers are the team to provide the services. A trade for Arenado could include RHP Bobby Miller, RHP Dustin May, RHP Walker Buehler and Vargas.

Arenado has had a solid year so far, with a batting average of .287 and an OPS of .856, as well as hitting 22 home runs and 19 doubles. If he were to be traded, it would mean more than just a shot at winning the World Series in October. The third baseman, who hails from Southern California, would be returning home and have the opportunity to win a championship back home.