Rockies trade Arenado to Cardinals for Gomber, 4 prospects
The Colorado Rockies traded star third baseman Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals for left-hander Austin Gomber and prospects Tony Locey, Jake Sommers, Elehuris Montero, and Mateo Gil, the Cardinals announced Monday.
Worth the wait! pic.twitter.com/NcWnraUOdu
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) February 2, 2021
The deal is done. 😢
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) February 2, 2021
Colorado is sending close to $50 million to help cover the remainder of Arenado's contract, according to Nick Groke of The Athletic. However, the Rockies will only send the full money if he doesn't opt out after the 2021 or 2022 seasons, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The Rockies are also paying Arenado's $35-million salary this campaign, while $15 million is owed to the Cardinals in this calendar year, with the remaining $20 million deferred, a source told Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
Arenado, who signed an eight-year, $260-million extension with the Rockies before the 2019 season, will retain player options for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He also agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2027 that would push his contract to seven years.
MLB and the MLBPA signed off on the trade, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports adds. Both sides needed to give the deal the green light based on the amount of money involved. Arenado also had to provide written consent to be moved because his pact included a no-trade clause, reports Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.
The five-time All-Star has won eight Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers while hitting 235 homers with an .890 OPS over eight years with the Rockies.
Meanwhile, Gomber, 27, owns a career 3.72 ERA over 104 innings in the majors. Montero is the best prospect going to the Rockies. The 22-year-old infielder was the No. 8-ranked minor leaguer in the Cardinals' system in 2020, according to MLB Pipeline. The next highest is Locey at No. 19.