St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado reported to spring training in Jupiter, Fla. on Sunday, showing up to play for a team that spent much of the offseason trying to trade him.

The eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner is owed $74 million for the next three seasons.

Colorado will pay St. Louis $5 million this year, the final installment of the $51 million the Rockies agreed to pay to offset the $199 million remaining in a nine-year contract worth $275 million to finalize a trade four years ago.

The Cardinals could not move him and his contract, which gives Arenado a full no-trade provision.

“I’m not going to talk about who the teams were because it doesn’t really matter anymore,” Arenado said. “I got a family now and to be willing to pick up my family and move them, it has to be something that is worth it.

“So, that’s kind of why the list was fairly small, and I don’t see myself really changing that list ever.”

Arenado is coming off a season that was not up to his standards, hitting .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBIs.

President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday that “the pink elephant” in the room was what the team was going to do with Arenado, and he expected there to be a moment of awkwardness when he arrived for spring training.

Four days later, he showed up a day before position players were due to report.

“We went into this offseason knowing that we were going to try to explore trades, which we did,” Mozeliak said. “We didn’t get to the point where he was no longer a Cardinal, so he’s certainly welcome back. Simply put with Nolan on our team, we feel we’re a better team.”

The 33-year-old Arenado out of El Toro High has hit .285 over his career with 341 home runs and 1,132 RBIs with the Cardinals and Colorado Rockies.

“I’m excited to get to work,” he said. “I’m a ballplayer and I’m really focusing on getting ready for the season.”

Arenado did acknowledge that he wished the Cardinals were committed to contending instead of rebuilding to set the franchise up for success in 2025 and beyond.

St. Louis has not signed any free agents to major league contracts after missing the playoffs for the second straight season following a four-year run of postseason appearances. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt left as a free agent to sign with the New York Yankees.

“Do I wish the direction was all in? Of course,” Arenado said. “But is this what’s probably best for the Cardinals? Probably.”

STANTON has elbow issues

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Giancarlo Stanton is “a little behind” due to some issues with both of his elbows that date back to late last season and the playoffs. Stanton, who enjoyed a torrent postseason, played through the soreness last year. Boone called the problem “akin to tennis elbow.”

“We’ll slow-play him a little bit,” Boone said. “It’s just something we don’t want to rush. We can get to a really good spot, and we know we’re gonna have to probably deal with some maintenance with it throughout the year, but we just don’t want to force anything too early.”

Stanton, the former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High star, shut down recently and has been getting treatment, but Boone said the designated hitter has not received any injections or undergone any procedures.

At this point, it’s too soon to know if Stanton’s elbows will jeopardize his availability for Opening Day.

Stanton posted a 1.048 OPS in the postseason last year while totaling seven home runs and 16 RBIs. His heroics earned him ALCS MVP honors and followed a bounce-back season that saw him slash .233/.298/.475 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs.

TWINS SIGN FRANCE

First baseman Ty France finalized a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins.

The 30-year-old France hit .234 with 24 doubles, 13 home runs and 51 RBIs last year for Seattle and Cincinnati, who acquired him on July 29 after he was designated for assignment. He became a free agent on Nov. 1 when he refused an outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville.

France, a standout at South Hills High, has a .263 average with 74 homers and 312 RBIs in six seasons with San Diego (2019-20), Seattle (2020-24) and Cincinnati.

He was an American League All-Star in 2022 when he had career highs of 20 homers and 83 RBIs.

DEJONG TO NATIONALS

Infielder Paul DeJong and the Washington Nationals agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract.

An All-Star in 2019, DeJong hit .227 with 24 homers and 56 RBIs last year for the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City.

He has a .229 average with 140 homers and 400 RBIs in eight seasons with St. Louis (2017-23), Toronto (2023), San Francisco (2023), the White Sox and Royals.