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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts to an RBI double during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on May 13, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado is having a career renaissance in the desert.
This past offseason, the Diamondbacks acquired Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals for pitching prospect Jack Martinez.
The move was basically a salary dump for the Cardinals, who were expected to go full rebuild in 2026. Although the Redbird record currently outpaces the Dbacks, the latter may have won this trade.
In 138 at-bats, the Snakes’ man at the hot corner has already posted 1.2 Baseball Reference WAR. Last year, Arenado had 1.3 WAR all season. Nado’s defense has taken a hit, but in tandem, his bat has come back around.
People refer to the Arizona heat as ‘dry.’ In said dry heat, the future Hall of Fame third baseman has been on fire. Through the first month, Arenado has a 128 OPS+ and an .814 OPS. Both are high marks since an MVP-3 finish in 2022.
Although Arenado’s underlying numbers remain average, the hitter-friendly environment in Arizona is no doubt aiding his efforts.
The hot-hitting third baseman has been one of baseball’s best players over the last calendar month.
https://twitter.com/JustBB_Media/status/2055370128318202021
A career resurgence at 35 years old is noteworthy, to say the least. Arenado hasn’t just been marginally better; he’s become a threat in an otherwise bleak D-backs lineup.
JustBaseballMedia: “After a slow start, Nolan Arenado has been on an absolute heater lately, making the D-Backs’ gamble on him look so much better. Our @CCres_24 has more on Arenado’s recent hot stretch.”
@RobBballHistory: “Nolan Arenado collected his 1,959th career Hit, passing Tom Brown and Ben Chapman and moved into a tie with Derek Lee for 317th on the All Time Hit list.”
@GoldyHappens: “Nolan Arenado & Ildemaro Vargas have reached base in their first 9 combined PA’s today, WOW #DBacks.”
Alex Weiner: “Diamondbacks’ 4-5 hitters Nolan Arenado and Ildemaro Vargas tonight: Arenado: 1-for-1, double, 3 walks, Vargas: 4-for-4, double, 2 RBI.”
StatMuse: “Nolan Arenado is the first Dback with 4 BB in a game since Pavin Smith in 2023.”
@DbacksStatsInfo: “As of late, we’ve heard a lot about the offense of #Dbacks 3B Nolan Arenado. Rightfully so. But what about the defensive stability at 3B? After committing 2 errors in his first 10 games as a D’back, Arenado has gone error free since April 5, a span of 31 appearances.”
As of May 16th, the Diamondbacks own a record of 21-23. At a current deficit of 5.5 games in the division, they’re starting to hit panic mode. The NL West holds two of baseball’s best teams in the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
If the Snakes continue their downward trajectory, the aging Arenado could be dangled as trade bait. The best thing about his comeback performance is that it creates roster flexibility for the Diamondbacks front office. If Arenado were to be traded, the Arizona front office could likely recoup some value.
Right now, the Diamondbacks are in limbo, somewhere between competitiveness and mediocrity. Until they determine which way they lean, Arenado’s monster month is a nice cherry on top of a middling sundae.
AJ Stone AJ Stone is a baseball writer for Heavy, covering MLB news and various trends. His work has also appeared on Redbird Rants, Inside Halos, District on Deck, and other digital outlets. With a focus on analytics, he aims to blend data with storytelling for an engaging experience for his readers. More about AJ Stone
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