St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was caught off guard by the news that the Colorado Rockies reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $182-million contract with free-agent star Kris Bryant.
"They must see something going on with their team and think they can compete," Arenado said Thursday, according to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post.
Arenado, who spent eight years in Colorado, was traded to St. Louis in January 2021 after signing an eight-year, $260-million extension with the Rockies before the 2019 season.
Colorado sent close to $50 million to help cover the remainder of Arenado's contract.
Jeff Bridich, the Rockies general manager at the time of the trade, stepped down in April 2021.
The Rockies finished with 74 wins last season and are poised to lose star shortstop Trevor Story in free agency. The team's current payroll for the 40-man roster sits at over $148 million.
