Nolan Arenado's latest trade concession could help Mariners in long run

With the Seattle Mariners needing help around their infield, it makes perfect sense as to why they're casting a wide net in their search for offense. As of right now, there are holes at first, second and third base, with JP Crawford being the only lock to break the Opening Day starting lineup in 2025.

In the not-so-distant past, thefit between the Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was one that we touched on. At the time, the idea would be that the Mariners swing a trade and have the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner be their everyday third baseman.

As it turns out, Arenado is very much on the trade block this offseason and he's also open to making a move across the diamond to first base if an acquiring team needs him to do so. This shoudl be an attractive development for the Mariners, as a trade for the former superstar could address their need at first base while also leaving the door open for a signing of a player like Alex Bregman or Willy Adames to play third for them.

Worst case? Arenado plays third base for 2025 and then moves to first base in 2026 as the Mariners look to solve their infield issues piece by piece.

Nolan Arenado's potential position change could play into Mariners' hands

Arenado is one of the best defensive third basemen we've seen in recent memory. Really, he's been one of the best on both sides of the ball. In what's been a 12-year career for him, Arenado has eight All-Star Games, 10 Gold Gloves (as well as six Platinum Gloves) and five Silver Sluggers. He's a prolific power hitter who can also seriously pick it over at the hot corner.

The 2024 season was a down one for him on both sides of the ball, and it has many Cardinals fans begging for a change. He's still only 33 and shouldn't be on a rapid decline, so it's entirely possible that the down year was an outlier. But even in what's been labeled a "down" year for him, he hit 16 home runs and drove in 71 across 152 games.

The fact of the matter is that Arenado has lost a step or two at third base over the years, and a move to first could preserve his body and allow him to play deeper into his 30s. Third base is an extremely demanding position and getting Arenado to move to first would take a ton of strain off of him. Any avenue for him to focus more on hitting would help the Mariners out immensely.

With needs all around the infield, the Mariners could use Arenado at either infield corner position, but first base would certainly be the safer bet to prolong his career.