After Nolan Arenado’s initial shock that his drawn-out trade saga with the St. Louis Cardinals came to a resolution on Tuesday, it took him no time to reach out to his new coaches with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A day later, Arenado said he had connected with Arizona’s hitting coaches, exchanging videos to go over what worked earlier in his career and what was missing last year.
The eight-time All-Star is going to be 35 years old and is coming off his worst season offensively (.666 OPS), a campaign disrupted by a shoulder injury.
Arenado made it clear that he maintains high expectations for himself at the plate despite declining numbers, and he is hopeful that his adjustments this offseason will lead to better results.
“It’s mostly mechanical,” Arenado said. “Obviously approach base is important, but when you’re not moving properly, it’s hard to have the right approach. I feel like the mechanical adjustments I’m trying to make and I’m going to make are gonna help me slow the game down, quiet my head, see the ball better and hopefully create space for me to work out front again. That’s when I’m at my best is when I’m pulling the ball out front, the right way.
“This offseason’s been a lot cleaner. It’s felt really good.”
Arenado pulls the ball through the air a lot and has throughout his career (25.5%, MLB average is 16.7%). He has kept the strikeouts down (11.2% in 2025), but the contact quality took a hit over the past two seasons.
It’s possible that Arenado continues his decline offensively and his on-field value comes strictly from his historically outstanding glove.
The Diamondbacks did not add Arenado to be the superstar slugger he was earlier in his career. He is a complementary piece to the lineup behind Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo.
Arizona also did not give up anyone who would help them this season in the trade (pitcher Jack Martinez), nor is the club on the hook for notable money at $11 million over two years, roughly a quarter of the $42 million remaining on his deal.
At the same time, Arenado has been documented as being a fiery competitor, and he said his identity comes from defense and driving in runs.
If Arenado can bounce back to a degree at the plate, even to a league-average level, it could really benefit the middle third of the lineup. Last year, the top four spots of Arizona’s batting order accounted for an .837 OPS, which ranked fourth in Major League Baseball. Slots 5-9 finished with a .687 OPS, ranking 14th in MLB.
“ Being in a lineup with this group of players is gonna be great,” Arenado said. “These guys could all really run, they could steal and hopefully get in scoring position. And if I could do my job, I don’t see why I can’t be driving these guys in.”
Nolan Arenado said he still has high expectations for himself at the plate, and he’s already connected with the Diamondbacks’ hitting coaches. pic.twitter.com/7s9tI2hNHZ
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) January 14, 2026
There is a potential ballpark difference to consider, as Chase Field is a kinder place to hit than Busch Stadium for righties.
Chase Field has been the second-best place to hit for right-handed hitters over the past two seasons, per Statcast’s ballpark factor metrics, while Busch Stadium has been 20th. Chase Field ranked ninth in home runs for righties in that span, compared to Busch Stadium at 26th.
Arenado actually hit better at home than on the road last year, albeit with an underwhelming .697 OPS.
There is also the change of scenery factor.
The Cardinals have been mostly noncompetitive over the past two seasons and shifted toward rebuilding. They agreed to trade Arenado to Houston last offseason, but he blocked the deal with his no-trade clause.
After a winter of trade speculation, he returned to St. Louis for a final season as a veteran in a younger clubhouse without the same team aspirations he experienced earlier in his tenure. Could that have impacted his performance?
“ I’m not someone to put blame on anybody besides myself,” Arenado said. “Obviously I got caught in some bad habits. There were some things I felt I could have done a better job of from a swing, body standpoint. It was tough losing. Obviously playing in St. Louis when you see Bush Stadium not packed, that was a tough feeling. … I appreciate those fans for even showing up when they did.
“I’m excited. When you have a new chapter in front of you, it kind of gives you a little bit of energy and I feel that again. I feel really anxious to get going in Arizona.”
Arenado also assured that he’s gone through a healthy offseason, and that he is ahead of schedule in terms of preparing for spring training.
“ I just stayed training and moving around constantly just because as you get older, you have to,” Arenado said. “My arm’s been feeling great, and I’m moving well, taking ground balls already. So, I’m ahead in that regard.”
