"I lost my breath" - Nolan Arenado makes scary revelation after going all-out for Cardinals

Nolan Arenado is coming off an offseason where his St. Louis Cardinals openly tried to trade him. While the team couldn't find a suitable suitor, the idea of getting traded from the team hasn't made Arenado any less of a defenseman as he once again put his body on the line unselfishly for the team.

On Sunday, the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cardinals was on the line in the ninth inning. The Cardinals, with a one-run lead, were under pressure when the D-Backs got a runner in scoring position with Ketel Marte at the plate. Cardinals had Phil Maton on the mound, who was able to extract a flyball off Marte.

Arenado made a stunning play to grab the catch, throwing his body over the fans seated to make an all-important catch. That literally snatched the game away from the Diamondbacks as they went on to lose the game 4-3 after impressive play from the third baseman.

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After the game, Arenado made his feelings known about the play and also acknowledged he got scared for a moment.

“I lost my breath for like a minute there, so I was kind of like—I'd never felt that before," Nolan Arenado told reporters. "So once I got my breath back, I was kind of like, ‘I feel like I'm okay.’ You know, still a little sore, but—hopefully that inning didn’t last too much longer. Thank God it didn’t.

"I actually thoroughly enjoy playing defense, so you know, that helps too. I try not to take my at-bats out there, but baseball’s crazy—you know, the ball finds you. So I always try to be ready for it. But yeah, I’ve just got to try to contribute somehow until things change."

Nolan Arenado earns appreciation from Cardinals manager

Nolan Arenado's show-stopping play in the ninth inning drew praise from several, ranging from his teammates to even opponents, showing respect for the veteran third baseman who defied age.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol hailed Arenado as a Hall of Famer while highlighting the competitive spirit the third baseman has within himself.

"He’s definitely a Hall of Famer, one of the best third basemen to ever play the game and he continues to show that,” Marmol said (per MLB). “When you get to manage those types of guys … [The] ’22 [season] was so much fun because of [Albert Pujols]. You rarely pick your head up enough, but I was able to enjoy it from time to time, especially with those [Pujols] at-bats.

“You take a step back from time to time and admire that [Arenado] is an incredible defender and a really good player.”

Nolan Arenado is a 10-time Gold Glove winner and he won straight all of them between 2013 to 2022.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25