Coming off an MVP-caliber season, Nolan Arenado is staying with the St. Louis Cardinals after opting into his deal with the club.
Per The Athletic's Katie Woo, Arenado has informed the Cardinals he will play out the five years and $144 million remaining on his contract rather than test the free-agent market.
This move was expected, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported in September that Arenado intended to opt in. But it wouldn't have been a surprise if the seven-time All-Star elected to test the market given how much leverage he would have this winter.