Dodgers Rumors: Jeff Passan labels LA as 'longshot' for high-profile trade candidate

Second only to Alex Bregman, the most exhausting "where will he go?" storyline of the 2024-25 offseason belongs to Nolan Arenado.

Arenado, unlike Bregman, doesn't actually have to go anywhere, but the Cardinals have been so dead-set on shedding at least part of his contract that they're still knocking on the doors of anyone who will listen. But Arenado still holds all of the cards at the end of the day; he's already exercised his no-trade clause to prevent a trade that would've sent him to the Astros.

He does have a list of teams he would approve a trade to, and the Dodgers are on it. Arenado (a Newport Beach native) made multiple pleas on social media to try to make a trade to LA happen, but Cardinals beat writers have been split on its actual level of interest in him.

However, Jeff Passan seems to believe that the Dodgers are at least distantly interested, or have been. He wrote that the Yankees and Dodgers were "long shots," but the Red Sox seemed the most likely destination if Arenado is moved at all (subscription required).

Dodgers-Nolan Arenado rumors are still alive but underwhelming with new update from Jeff Passan

"Long shot" sort of implies that the Dodgers are the more active party in these discussions, but it's hard to believe that's the case. The Dodgers are not in desperate need of a third baseman — they've already said that Max Muncy will be their guy on Opening Day — and it doesn't seem like any involved teams are going to be begging St. Louis to get a deal done, even if the Cardinals are willing to maintain responsibility for the majority of the money Arenado's still owed.

The fact is that Arenado's bat just isn't what it used to be. The glove is still there, but the Dodgers' biggest weakness this season very well may be their defense, so Arenado's elite defense doesn't seem like it'd be a massive selling point for them.

Arenado could still be pushing for a trade to LA and advocating for himself behind the scenes, but it's hard to believe that the Dodgers would make a trade for him unless they're somehow able to trick the Cardinals into taking an incredibly lopsided deal.

For his part, Arenado hasn't expressed the same kind of desperation to leave St. Louis as the Cardinals have in their attempts to shed him. Understandable, though; the guy's gonna get paid either way.