Central STL News

ST. LOUIS — Third baseman Nolan Arenado received a ceremonial start and an ovation from fans before the St. Louis Cardinals’ 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, in what may have been his final home game at Busch Stadium as a Cardinal.

Arenado was added to the lineup late but was removed just before the first pitch so he could be recognized by the crowd of 32,723 during the team’s last home game of the season. Reflecting on his time with St. Louis, Arenado said, “I mean, it’s starting to really feel like it.” He continued, “Listen, I feel like this organization needs to go a different route with how they go about their business. They’ve got to let some of these young guys grow and see what they have and there’s no doubt that I’m in the way of that. So, I don’t know what is going to happen, but I do believe that change is coming -- as it should.”

The 34-year-old has two years and $42 million left on his contract and used his no-trade clause last December to block a trade to Houston. However, he indicated he might be open to moving elsewhere this offseason as both he and the Cardinals appear headed in different directions.

Arenado has played 102 games this season with a .236 batting average, 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. He expressed appreciation for his five seasons in St. Louis: “Whatever happens, I really enjoyed my time here and I was really happy that I got traded here,” Arenado said. “I have no regrets about it. I think some people wonder about it, but I have zero regrets about when I opted in to stay.”

He added: “I love this place, but change is definitely needed.”

Attendance at Busch Stadium dropped significantly this year compared to previous seasons not affected by COVID-19 restrictions; after an extended period where attendance topped three million annually (except for pandemic years), only around 2.25 million attended games in 2025.

“My favorite thing about being a Cardinal was watching Albert [Pujols] going off [in 2022 when he reached 703 career home runs] and playing in front of a packed Busch Stadium,” Arenado said. “When you come to games now, it doesn’t feel like Busch. When you think of Busch Stadium, you think of a packed house.

“Not having that anymore is disappointing. But it’s not [fans’] fault; it’s ours because we’re not winning. I just miss a packed Busch. I just wish we could have experienced that a little more.”

On Sunday, Arenado described feeling anxious when initially removed from the game before fans realized what was happening: “The fans here have always been great; they want a winner, a good team and competitive baseball,” Arenado said. “I want that for them, and I wish we could have done that a little better the last few years. That’s why I came here -- because I love the fans and the way they appreciate the game.”