DALLAS -- Successful rebuilds, ones that positively alter the direction of a franchise and offer hope of better tomorrows, often can¡¯t involve half-measures -- and will likely come with requisite growing pains along the way.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak stressed that from his Dallas hotel suite on Monday night and backed it up, not only proclaiming his intention of trading 10-time Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado, but venturing to guess that not doing so this winter would likely limit any hopes that the Cardinals have of coming out improved on the other side of what he called a ¡°reset¡± for 2025.

¡°It¡¯s my intention to try,¡± Mozeliak said when pointedly asked if the franchise would seek to deal the 33-year-old third baseman they worked so hard to obtain from the Rockies before the 2021 season.

¡°We both remain optimistic that both parties will remain happy somehow. [Arenado remaining with the Cardinals] is a possibility, but I¡¯m not sure that puts us where we want to be. From a financial standpoint of trying to move our payroll ¨C there are certainly other ways to do that, but [trading Arenado] would be a big help. It¡¯s financial, but it also creates a runway for someone else.¡±

• 6 trade fits for Nolan Arenado that make sense

Back in Dallas, where Mozeliak weathered the fallout of losing superstar Albert Pujols to the Angels in 2011, the long-time executive stuck to his intentions of slashing payroll and shifting the 2025 focus to the team¡¯s young core. Mozeliak had praise for the work that Nolan Gorman has done this offseason while drilling with new hitting coach Brant Brown, and he sounded as if he is already looking to the lefty slugger as the likely replacement for Arenado at third base.

Mozeliak, who is planning to retire from his post following the 2025 season, is hopeful that Juan Soto¡¯s signing with the Mets for $765 million over 15 years will spur movement in the market for stars such as Arenado. Mozeliak said he¡¯s already come to grips with the reality of dealing a player who stoked dreams of a 12^th World Series for the Cards when he joined the club via a trade.

¡°These decisions are not something we ever take lightly, but when you understand the profile of what this team looks like, and after meeting with him in Colorado, he¡¯s not demanding a trade or telling me that I have to do it, but in the best interests of both sides, I¡¯d like to try and find him some place,¡± Mozeliak said. ¡°In this industry, change happens often. I understand change for some people can feel like anxiety, scary and disruptive, but sometimes it can be for the better. It¡¯s how you embrace it and adjust.¡±

Despite being back to playing the kind of stellar defense he was known for early in his career, Arenado endured a troubling power outage at the plate in 2024 with his lowest OPS (.719) and fewest homers (16) over a full season since his rookie year in 2013. His 71 RBIs were his fewest in a full season since 2014 (61).

Two impediments to a trade are the $74 million Arenado is owed over the next three years and the no-trade clause he wields. Arenado has said in recent years that he is desperate to win the World Series and wants to play for a team that gives him the best shot of winning it all.

¡°[The no-trade clause] is a complicating task, but again we¡¯ve had open dialogue, and we understand where this may end,¡± said Mozeliak, who noted that Arenado being traded before the conclusion of the Winter Meetings is unlikely.

Like Mozeliak, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has remained in contact with Arenado throughout the offseason as the third baseman has worked to regain the quickness and power that helped him hit at least 30 homers and drive in 100 runs for seven straight seasons (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020) from 2015-22. Arenado has even worked with Brown on hitting techniques the Cards hope to implement in 2025.

¡°Nolan is operating in a space of, ¡®I¡¯m here [as a Cardinal] and I¡¯m working toward getting myself ready as a player to have a productive year,¡¯¡± Marmol said. ¡°He still does a good job of connecting with the guys. Until that¡¯s not the case ¨C if that¡¯s what comes out of this ¨C he¡¯s going to operate the way he is now until he no longer has to. He always has (invested in the Cardinals) and if there¡¯s a time when that¡¯s not the case, it¡¯s a part of the business. Until that happens, he¡¯s a Cardinal and he¡¯s investing in the Cardinals.¡±