Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado made the three-hour, cross-state drive to play in an exhibition game Wednesday against the Yankees, among the teams that may be open to acquiring him in a trade.

Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt breaks silence on Nolan Arenado trade rumors, discussing their friendship and Arenado’s future with the Cardinals.

Not on Wednesday afternoon, however. Fans planning to catch the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees face off at New York's George M. Steinbrenner Field got a pleasant surprise: Not only did Nolan Arenado make the three-plus-hour drive from Cardinals camp in Jupiter to Yankees camp in Tampa, but he'll be starting at third base for St. Louis.

The winter rumor mill isn’t exactly dying down in Houston, as the St. Lous Cardinals third baseman has been linked to Astros.

According to league sources, the Astros circled back with the Cardinals after Alex Bregman signed with the Red Sox.

As is often the case, fans of a sports team and upper management of that same team aren't on the same page. After a winter of St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak trying — unsuccessfully — to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado, the veteran started Sping Training still on the roster.

The Astros have reportedly restarted negotiations with the Cardinals after they fell apart earlier this winter

The St. Louis Cardinals spent all offseason shopping Nolan Arenado in hopes of finding a suitor to take his contract off their hands. Trading him also would have opened up third base for Nolan Gorman or Thomas Saggese.