Nolan Arenado is headed back to where it all started. The eight-time Gold Glover will return to Coors Field, where 136 of his 251 career homers have occurred, Thursday night when the Cardinals begin a four-game set against Arenado’s former team, the Colorado Rockies. One of the most decorated players in franchise history, it appeared Arenado would finish his career in Colorado after agreeing to an eight-year, $260-million extension in 2019. But obviously that’s not what happened as Arenado, fed up with losing (Colorado hasn’t won a playoff series since 2007), demanded a trade, which the Rockies honored by dealing him to St. Louis this offseason.
The 30-year-old is hoping for a warm reception when he returns to Coors Field Thursday night, though Arenado acknowledges some fans, still hurt from his departure months earlier, won’t be as welcoming. “You’re going to get some fans that’ll probably be upset,” Arenado relayed to Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated. “It’s going to be weird.”
Consistency has eluded Arenado in his debut season with the Cardinals, but even with most of his numbers down (which was to be expected after leaving what many would consider the most hitter-friendly venue in baseball), the five-time All-Star isn’t missing Colorado much these days. “I haven't looked back once,” said Arenado, who will hit third in his return to the Mile High City Thursday night. “There's some people I do miss a lot, but besides that, I'm very happy with where I’m at.”
Chosen with the 59th pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, Arenado led the NL in home runs three times over a four-year stretch from 2015-18, peaking with a career-best 42 in 2015. Arenado launched 235 homers during his eight-year stretch in Colorado, good for fourth-most in club history behind only Todd Helton (369), Larry Walker (258) and Vinny Castilla (239).
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