The Cardinals placed Nolan Arenado on the IL with a shoulder strain after the trade deadline, following weeks of struggles at the plate.

Arenado has two years remaining on his deal after 2025, making his choice one of baseball’s most substantial decisions this July. With the trade deadline fast approaching, his decision could accelerate the Cardinals’ rebuilding timeline. Gavin Groe is a contributing writer to the Athlon Sports trending and breaking news team.

There are two reasons why a trade might be difficult to execute for the Cardinals. The first is Arenado's full no-trade clause. In the offseason, he used it to veto a deal with the Houston Astros. That could scare some teams away from trying to trade for the Cardinals' third baseman.