John Mozeliak, Cardinals president of baseball operations, speaks with the media on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, at Busch Stadium during the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up. (Video by , Post-Dispatch)

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak -- a veteran team-builder who has regularly used the offseason to add difference-making talents such as Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray to try and chase a championship -- oddly saw this winter slow to a crawl.

John Mozeliak and the St. Louis Cardinals are working behind the scenes to make something happen while Nolan Arenado holds them hostage.

“John Mozeliak says trading Nolan Arenado remains ‘Priority 1, 2 and 3' but acknowledges the team remains in a holding pattern due to the FA market. He would like to add to the bullpen/maybe a RH-bat, but won’t before they have clarity on Arenado’s future,” Katie Woo of The Athletic wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The St. Louis Cardinals' top priority is finding a trade partner for superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado but doing so has been challenging. After Arenado endu

This is not the offseason the St. Louis Cardinals envisioned, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acknowledged Saturday at Busch Stadium, speaking from the podium on the first day of the team’s annual Winter Warm-Up.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak reaffirmed his desire to trade Nolan Arenado this offseason, calling it the number one priority on Saturday.

Mozeliak thought he had a trade made in December sending Arenado to the Astros, but the third baseman blocked the deal.

The St. Louis Cardinals' youth movement took center stage during their Caravan visit to Cape Girardeau. As the team rebuilds, top prospects like Thomas Saggese are poised to shape the future amid leadership changes.

Like many teams, the St. Louis Cardinals hold an offseason FanFest, and their front-office frontman provides a state-of-the-team address of sorts. The Cardinal

The St. Louis Cardinals are not likely to make any free agency moves until they have clarity on a trade for all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado. So far this offseason, the Cardinals are one of the six teams that have not spent any money on an MLB free agent.