Cardinals announce Nolan Arenado roster move ahead of Reds series

The St. Louis Cardinals aren't eliminated from postseason contention, but sitting four games back of the New York Mets, it'd take a huge turnaround and some luck to make the postseason in 2025.

However, with the Cardinals scheduled to play postseason teams as the year comes to a close, their efforts will be cheered for by other top contenders in the National League.

Fortunately for those fanbases, the Cardinals announced a roster move ahead of their series against the Cincinnati Reds, which has Nolan Arenado returning ot the lineup for the first time since July.

Cardinals activate Nolan Arenado for Reds series

St. Louis is activating Arenado from the injured list after being out since July 30th. He's missed a lot of time with a shoulder injury, but with 12 games left in the 2025 MLB season, Areando is making his return to the roster.

Jose Fermin, an infielder, is being sent down to Triple-A to make room for Areando on the active roster. The Cardinals are not out of the postseason hunt yet, and Arenado could help spark a push to play October baseball, even if it's incredibly unlikely.

Before hitting the injured list, Arenado was hitting .235 with a .294 on-base percentage and a .366 slugging percentage. His .660 OPS was the lowest of his MLB career, and it is the only time it's ever been below .700.

He's struggled offensively, though his defense is still strong. But, with his lackluster offensive season, Arenado only has 1.0 WAR on the year through 96 games, which is less than he had in 2020 with the Colorado Rockies in 46 games at 1.5 WAR.

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But, even though he's not been at his best, Arenado is still a strong option for the team, especially heading into the final week and a half of the regular season. Getting a rested and healthy Arenado back for the final 12 games could make a difference.

While that difference might not amount to much for the Cardinals, they could make a major impact on the National League postseason field. With matchups against the Reds, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Francisco Giants, the Cardinals can, at worst, play spoiler in the final days of the regular season.

Amid trade speculation, Arenado's final efforts in 2025 might be the way his Cardinals tenure comes to a close. For now, the Cardinals are getting their injured third baseman back, and he's slotted into the lineup as the third baseman hitting sixth in his return after missing the last month and a half.

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