The most ridiculous Cubs trade idea you'll see today has officially entered the chat

While almost everything has gone very well for the Chicago Cubs so far this season, there is one glaring hole in the lineup and on the field. The front office thought it had plugged it with Matt Shaw and then hoped that it was plugged with Gage Workman.

Now that Shaw is in Iowa and Workman is the White Sox’s problem, third base continues to be quite the conundrum. One thing is clear: however Jed Hoyer decides to try and plug the hole next, whether it be Jon Berti or Vidal Brujan or Shaw again, one thing is clear. The answer won’t come from a division rival, despite one MLB writer’s suggestion.

Newsweek has never been looked at as a place where Chicago Cubs fans get their news and Andrew Wright’s latest column might be why. The MLB writer penned a column positing three ideas for the Cubs to fii the third base problem. And one of those solutions was a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals where the North Siders would acquire Nolan Arenado.

Wright started his theory by pointing out that Arenado was shopped by the Cards in the offseason. Though it’s important to point out it doesn’t appears Hoyer or St. Louis ever even exchanged email addresses, let alone engaged in any real talks.

And then there was this little blurb:

“While a trade between the Cubs and Cardinals is unlikely, it has happened before. Arenado would have to waive his no-trade clause for a trade between the two teams to be completed and if this move were to ever happen, it would be a huge addition for Chicago.”

Cubs, Cardinals history kills this Nolan Arenado trade right away

The last time the two teams did a deal of as much consequence as one involving Arendao would have was arguably 1980, when Leon Durham and Ken Reitz came to Chicago in exchange for Bruce Sutter. It’s been almost 20 years since the two teams arrived at even the most minor of deals when the Cards sent someone named John Nelson to the Cubs in 2007 for “future considerations". Said player was apparently an outfielder who amassed five career MLB at-bats.

That the two rivals don’t deal with one another is beside the point. Arenado is under contract for two more years and doesn't come on the cheap, either. According to Spotrac, he’s set to earn $21 million this year and while his annual salary becomes somewhat more palatable in 2026 and 2027, he’ll still be owed $31 million over those two years.

While Arenado is having a bit of an early resurgence, posting a 119 WRC+ so far in 2025, his pricetag and the lack of the Cardinals wanting to help the Chicago Cubs, even for significant salary relief seems like the kind of idea that’s just hanging out thanks to wild talk this winter.