When Nolan Sanded signed his eight-year contract extension with the Colorado Rockies in spring 2019 training, it looked like he would spend the rest of his career in the Rockies uniform. He had said all along that he wanted to play for a consistent playoff contender and the Rockies came from consecutive postseason appearances. “I think the future is much brighter in Colorado than it has been in the past,” he said at the time.
However, things can change quickly in baseball and Smile’s relationship with the Rockies soon deteriorated. After two bad seasons, with a shallow Major League roster and a minor league system that ranks as one of the weakest in the sport as they try to compete in a division with the Dodgers and Fathers, the future immediate of the Rockies seems much more depressing than brilliant. With Sorrejat agreeing to give up his non-exchange clause, the Rockies switched to their franchise icon at St. Louis Cardinals in a very successful deal.
The Cardinals are acquired a five-time All-Star and eight-time Golden Glove winner, a superstar even in the narrowest definition. From 2015 to 2019, Sorrejat hit .300 / .362 / 575 with an average of 157 games, 40 homers and 124 RBIs. He finished no more and no less than eighth in the MVP vote and finished third behind Mike Trout and Mookie Betts in WAR among position players.
As good as Arenado has been, it is not necessarily a risk-free change for the Cardinals.