Yankees Rumors: Nolan Arenado trade chances take another hit with insider updates

If the New York Yankees were trying to get some business done before Marcus Stroman showed up in Tampa and things got awkward, then we have some bad news for them.

With pitchers and catchers officially reporting to spring training on Tuesday morning, Stroman rolled into camp. That makes sense, given that he remains a pitcher and/or a catcher, and he remains under contract in New York. In fact, if he reaches 140 innings this season, he'll be under contract next year, too.

It seems difficult to envision him hitting that number as the Yankees' No. 6 starter. In fact, that's a large part of the reason why both parties would rather he be employed elsewhere, preferably a team that envisions him in a more integral role.

And yet, as we sat in the tri-state area hoping for a last-minute solution and for the Yankees to come to their senses in the Nolan Arenado chase, there's Stroman sauntering down that long hallway.

Yankees Rumors: Marcus Stroman arrives, Yankees 'long shot' on Nolan Arenado, per Jeff Passan

As if Stroman's muted arrival wasn't a big enough bummer, both Mark Feinsand and Jeff Passan emerged this week to add the Yankees formally to the Arenado mix. That's good!

Neither seemed to believe there was much of a chance that New York planned to take the plunge on him. That's bad, at this juncture. In December, fans had other priorities at third base. Now, those priorities are DJ LeMahieu, and it's kind of impossible to believe that Paul Goldschmidt never pulled any strings with the regular season approaching.

Passan's Tuesday column asserted that the Red Sox are the clear favorites in the Arenado chase, though he doesn't even think they'll move Rafael Devers and take the plunge unless things get way cheaper, calling Boston's interest "iffy" unless the Cards eat more than half of the 10-time Gold Glover's remaining three years.

The Yankees and Dodgers? They're mentioned only as "long shots," even though New York does have an expensive chip in Stroman that could help make some of the money work.

Feinsand appeared on MLB Network Monday night, and admitted he'd be "surprised" if Arenado lasted the duration of the offseason in St. Louis. That could hinge on Alex Bregman going somewhere other than Boston. It could also involve the Yankees, as long as the "urgency" Feinsand expects to see on the "Cardinals' part" actually develops.

"The Yankees are still kind of kicking the tires," he noted. "If the acquisition cost of getting Arenado is low enough, and the Cardinals are willing to kick in some money like they were willing to do with Houston, I don't rule the Yankees out just yet."

So, again, the best we can do is "not ruled out," while Boston, notably, is singled out as a team Arenado would waive his no-trade clause for, as well as the most oft-connected party.

Want it put even more bluntly? Andy Martino, on Tuesday night, wrote, "They have never seriously considered a trade for St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado, sources say." There you go. Plain in ink.

A disgruntled No. 4 starter filling the No. 6 role. Someone who was let down by poor infield defense last year looking out at third base, seeing it manned by a scatter plot of second bananas and knowing Nolan Arenado's still out there, frustrated in St. Louis? Yeah. Not the best week to be Marcus Stroman. Or a Yankee fan.