Nolan Arenado linked with $1.45B-worth AL Central team, per MLB insider

Nolan Arenado could be headed to the AL Central, specifically the Detroit Tigers, now that the Boston Red Sox have officially signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal. Boston’s signing of Bregman opens the door for other teams, like the Tigers, who were interested in upgrading at third base but missed out on Bregman this offseason.

During Wednesday's appearance on MLB Network, insider Jon Morosi discussed how St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado is the next “domino to fall” now that Bregman is off the board.

“Arenado is that next domino to fall in the third-base conversation," Morosi said. "A lot of the same teams we were hearing on Bregman had interest, as well, in Nolan Arenado.”

Morosi’s comments seem to point toward the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. In particular, Detroit is an up-and-coming young team that has the financial flexibility to make an Arenado deal work.

The Tigers, worth $1.45 billion according to Forbes, could potentially take on Nolan Arenado’s contract. That’s a key point, as Morosi points out that Arenado’s contract could get in the way of a deal.

“It seems as though his time in St. Louis is winding down," Morosi said. "But they’ve had a hard time finding a team that can take on the entire salary. So, the natural pivot could be the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers, maybe not the team Arenado thought he was going to at the outset, but certainly the Tigers have a better chance to make the playoffs than the Cardinals have.”

Morosi concluded that Detroit is a young team that could benefit from Arenado’s leadership. So, it remains to be seen if and when the Tigers and Cardinals could work out a deal to send the 10-time Gold Glove winner to the Motor City.

Chicago is a potential destination for Nolan Arenado

The Chicago Cubs could be a potential suitor for Nolan Arenado now that Boston has landed Alex Bregman. According to insider Bob Nightengale, the Chicago Cubs, along with Detroit, was the other finalist to land Bregman. Nightengale pointed out that the Blue Jays were never truly a candidate for Bregman.

Following that line of thinking, the Cardinals’ Central Division rivals could be in the mix to land Arenado. As Jon Morosi pointed out, the teams that were interested in Bregman could now pivot to Arenado.

If that’s the case, the Cubs could become a surprise team to land the third baseman. However, there’s no telling if the Cubs are willing to take on Arenado’s contract. The Newport Beach, California, native is set to make $32 million for the next three seasons.

That number may be enough to scare the Cubs away. Nevertheless, a team like the Blue Jays, who have missed out on numerous big free agents, could decide to break the bank and attempt to land one of the biggest names reported to be available this season.