The Diamondbacks and third baseman Nolan Arenado are thinking about him playing first base next year, reports Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. This wouldn’t be about moving Arenado off the hot corner, but the extra versatility could help the club’s offseason pursuits while also keeping him healthier.
Arenado just wrapped up his age-35 season and he will turn 36 in April. His third base defense is no longer at the elite levels of earlier in his career but remains passable, depending on your metric of choice. Defensive Runs Saved was the most bearish on his 2026 work, giving him a grade of minus-four. On the other end of the spectrum, Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value had him in positive territory, with both of those metrics giving Arenado a grade of two above par.
Though he has never played any other position, it’s understandable that the Diamondbacks would want to contemplate making him viable at first. First base is generally considered a less taxing position than third base, something the Snakes are thinking about as Arenado is squarely in his mid-30s. “I think it’s taken a toll on him physically a little bit,” general manager Mike Hazen said. “So we’re trying to be mindful of that.”
Then there’s the roster construction point of view. The Diamondbacks had a black hole at first base in 2026 and don’t have a clear answer going into 2027. They could acquire a first baseman this offseason via free agency or trade, but if Arenado is an option over there, then it opens up other opportunities. “It could help us, depending on what’s out there in the market for available players, by giving us more flexibility,” Hazen said. “It opens the door for us, externally, to consider different ways to improve the team.”
This winter’s free agent market features first basemen such as Jake Bauers, Ty France, Josh Bell and others. The trade market features old friend Christian Walker as well as Alec Burleson, Rafael Devers, Spencer Torkelson and others. If Arenado were capable of splitting his time between first and third, then perhaps that would open up the Snakes to the third base market as well. Free agency has Teruaki Sato, J.P. Crawford, Alec Bohm and others. Isaac Paredes, Ryan McMahon and others might be on the trade block.
First, the Snakes have to properly explore things with Arenado. Hazen says that the subject was broached with Arenado towards the end of the season and he was open to it. He might even play some winter ball in the Caribbean in order to experiment.
“He wants to go play,” Hazen said. “He’s said, ‘I’ve never played winter ball, I want to go.’ And so, I was like, ‘Look, [Geraldo] Perdomo goes and plays winter ball every year for a couple weeks, and he swears that it really helps set him up for the season. So not being a pitcher and being a veteran position player, I trust that you’re gonna take care of what you need to take care of, and I don’t have an issue with it.’ I don’t know that it’s a done deal, but we were just talking about it.”
Arenado’s contract, originally signed with the Rockies but then re-worked when he was traded to the Cardinals, is entering its final year. He was traded to the Diamondbacks in January. He will make $15MM in 2027 but the Cardinals agreed to pay $9MM of that as part of the trade, leaving Arizona covering just $6MM.
He remained an effective player in 2026. As mentioned, his defensive reviews were mixed. Offensively, he hit .255/.331/.475 for a wRC+ of 120, indicating he was 20% better than league average. FanGraphs credited him with 3.5 wins above replacement. Ideally, the Snakes can keep him healthy and productive into next year as well, whether that involves some first base work or Arenado staying at the hot corner.
Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images
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