'I love this place': Arenado receives what may be last Busch Stadium ovation

ST. LOUIS -- Treated to a ceremonial start and a fan ovation prior to the Cardinals’ 5-1 win over the Brewers on Sunday afternoon, third baseman Nolan Arenado was asked if he had thought about the game being his final one at Busch Stadium while wearing the birds on a bat across his chest.

“I mean, it’s starting to really feel like it,” said Arenado, who was a late insert into the lineup before being pulled from the game just before the first pitch so that he could get one last ovation from the announced crowd of 32,723 fans for the final home game of the season.

Arenado, 34, made it clear in the offseason that he preferred to play for a contending team rather than one in rebuilding mode, such as the Cardinals in 2025 and likely again in ‘26, even after Chaim Bloom takes over as president of baseball operations.

However, Arenado used the no-trade clause in his contract to nix an agreed upon trade to the Astros last December.

With two years and $42 million remaining on what he figures will be his final contract, Arenado sounded like he might be more receptive to a trade elsewhere when this offseason begins. Arenado knows that he and the Cards are at different spots, and he will likely have to go elsewhere to try and chase the World Series title that has eluded him throughout his likely Hall of Fame-worthy career.

“Listen, I feel like this organization needs to go a different route with how they go about their business. They’ve got to let some of these young guys grow and see what they have and there’s no doubt that I’m in the way of that,” said Arenado, who has slashed .236/.292/.365/.657 with 17 doubles, 10 homers and 49 RBIs in 102 games this season. “So, I don’t know what is going to happen, but I do believe that change is coming -- as it should.”

Arenado, who hopes to play in the Cardinals’ six remaining games to continue to show he’s healthy and capable of hitting the ball hard again, said he will always cherish his five seasons with St. Louis. He pushed for a trade from the Rockies to the Cardinals before the 2021 season, with the belief that St. Louis is a place where he could contend for a World Series crown every season. Arenado even declined an opt-out in his contract following the 2022 season – one where he finished third in the voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.

“Whatever happens, I really enjoyed my time here and I was really happy that I got traded here,” said Arenado, who has hit .266 with 116 home runs and 421 RBIs to go with two Gold Gloves in 703 career games with the Cardinals. “I have no regrets about it. I think some people wonder about it, but I have zero regrets about when I opted in to stay.

“I love this place, but change is definitely needed.”

While taking some of the blame because of his offensive regression over the past three seasons, Arenado said it’s evident that the Cardinals need to start over because of the drop off in attendance at Busch Stadium. A franchise that had an 18-year run of drawing 3 million fans -- not counting the COVID-impacted seasons of 2020 and ‘21 -- the Cards attracted just 2.25 million in ‘25 and recorded several of the smallest crowds in the history of Busch Stadium III.

“My favorite thing about being a Cardinal was watching Albert [Pujols] going off [in 2022 when he reached 703 career home runs] and playing in front of a packed Busch Stadium,” Arenado said. “When you come to games now, it doesn’t feel like Busch. When you think of Busch Stadium, you think of a packed house.

“Not having that anymore is disappointing. But it’s not [fans’] fault; it’s ours because we’re not winning. I just miss a packed Busch. I just wish we could have experienced that a little more.”

Arenado said he got a little panicked on Sunday when he was removed before the first pitch and a confused crowd didn’t cheer. Eventually, he was greeted with an ovation, one that left him smiling.

“The fans here have always been great; they want a winner, a good team and competitive baseball,” Arenado said. “I want that for them, and I wish we could have done that a little better the last few years. That’s why I came here -- because I love the fans and the way they appreciate the game.”