SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Nolan Arenado, wearing a black Diamondbacks jersey trimmed in teal, caught a glimpse of himself in the clubhouse mirror.
“I looked and thought, ‘Wow, this is kind of weird,'” Arenado said. “But hey, the unis are nice.”
The former Rockies and Cardinals star might not rise to his former glory in the desert, but he’s confident he’ll make the D-backs a better team. He padded that confidence with a solo home run in his first Cactus League at-bat, punishing a hanging sweeper from Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela.
“My expectations are high, and they are high for this group,” Arenado said after taking batting practice at Salt River Fields. “I think this team is really good. This is a top-10 offense without me, but I think I can really help it. I think I’m making adjustments that will really help me.
“You know me, I like to keep goals to myself, but I do have hefty goals. I don’t think I am ever going to change that.”
Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer predicts that Arenado will be a force upon his return to the National League West, where his career began with Colorado in 2013.
“I think he’ll be a force no matter where he’s at, absolutely,” Schaeffer said. “You never, ever count him out.”
Rockies’ manager remains an Arenado fan
Schaeffer and Arenado crossed paths with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers in 2012. Schaeffer’s playing career was dying a quiet death. At age 27, he hit .189 in 80 games in what was his final season. Arenado, just 21, was flashing stardom, hitting .285 with 12 homers in 134 games. Web gems were already part of his portfolio.
“I remember just really enjoying watching him play,” Schaeffer recalled. “He was the young kid coming up, and I was the old guy who sat on the bench. He played one of my positions. I just admired the way he played.”
And Schaeffer marveled at the gym-rat mentality Arenado brought to the baseball diamond.
“I always thought I was the best (at practice). Always,” Schaeffer said. “I loved it. I loved diving at ground balls and practicing. That was where my joy came from, in baseball. He was the first guy I ever saw who would show up and do even more than me. That’s why he was great.
“And, mix that with talent … and that’s why he’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s unbelievable. He’s probably my favorite baseball player that I have ever seen.”
Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Feb. 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, eight-time All-star and five-time Silver Slugger, turns 35 on April 16. He’s entering the autumn of his career. His season with St. Louis last year was the worst of his career. Hampered by injuries, he slashed just .237/.289/.377 in 401 at-bats with 12 home runs. The rebuilding Cardinals traded him to Arizona last month, with the Cardinals picking up $31 million of the remaining $42 million owed to Arenado over the next two seasons.
Arenado, a native of Orange County, Calif., where most of his family still resides, waived his no-trade clause to join the D-backs.
“That was a big part of it, being a little closer to home,” he said. “I have two kids now, so that makes it easier. And obviously, this is a good team, and they showed interest in me early. I talked it over with my family, and we felt like it could be a good place for me.
“Obviously, with the year I had, I didn’t have a whole lot of options, but when I saw that Arizona was one of the options, I was excited because of (outfielder) Corbin Carroll and (infielders) Ketel Marte and (Geraldo) Perdomo. It made me excited pretty early.”
Taking a lighter approach
During his eight seasons in Colorado, Arenado was the consummate grinder. If he wasn’t hitting in the cage — or practicing dry swings in front of the mirror — he was taking groundballs at third. Those days are gone, proving that Father Time casts a spell on even the most elite players.
Arizona Diamondbacks' Nolan Arenado runs the bases during workouts during spring training baseball Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)“I have scaled it back; I think people would be proud,” he said with a laugh, tossing a bone to those who said he was too obsessed with baseball. “Today, I didn’t take groundballs or anything. I just did a workout in the gym, and then came out and hit. That’s my workout for today.
“There is a lot more gym stuff now. A lot more workouts. That part has kind of been tough because I just want to hit and take groundballs all day, but I just can’t do that anymore.”
Arenado, who nursed a right shoulder injury in the offseason, slowly realized that relaxing can sometimes be the better part of valor.
“I think I learned that the hard way last year,” he said. “Now, I know I can still feel really good. Like yesterday, I played and felt really good, and today I felt great. Usually, after the first game of spring, I feel really sore, but today I feel great.”
Schaeffer sees Arenado’s transition as bittersweet.
“That’s wisdom on his part; he understands himself better now,” the manager said. “He knows how his body works.”
Schaeffer took a beat, then continued.
“But the biggest thing about wanting to practice hard? It’s here. And it’s here,” he said, pointing first to his head and then to his heart. “He still wants it, he still has that.”
The Diamondbacks are seeing that for themselves.
“Nolan’s just got a great heartbeat, he’s so even-keeled,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s a hard worker, a very dedicated teammate.”
“Amazing, amazing, amazing,” Perdomo told The Arizona Republic after Arenado’s homer vs. Colorado. “This is going to be his breakout season this year, for sure. He’s going to look like he’s 28 years old again.”
Time and the box score will tell, but Arenado is thrilled to have a fresh start. And eager to show his stuff to Team Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Arenado’s mother, Millie, is of Puerto Rican and Cuban ancestry. His dad, Fernando, was born in Cuba.
Arenado played for Team USA in the 2017 and 2023 WBC. He batted .385 in the most recent WBC, going 10-for-26 with four extra-base hits and five RBIs as the U.S. finished as the runner-up to Team Japan. In 2017, he was on the USA team that defeated Puerto Rico, 8-0, in the championship.
“I didn’t get asked to play for Team USA (this time), and I didn’t deserve to get asked,” he explained.
It was former Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who’s managing Team Puerto Rico, who first prompted Arenado to play in the WBC. Arenado was hesitant at first because he was rehabbing his shoulder. Now, he’s excited.
“It’s not Team USA, but I do have Latin roots, so I said to myself, ‘I should do this,’ ” Arenado said.
After Arenado finished his batting practice, a long line of Diamondbacks fans waited patiently in line to get his autograph. If Arenado does end up in Cooperstown, those fans can say they own a bit of history.
Doug Barber, 43, a longtime D-backs fan who lives in Phoenix, was first in line. He attends a lot of games at Chase Field, and he thinks Arenado will shine there.
“I can’t wait,” Barber said. “He’s going to rake at Chase Field, I know it.”
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