CHICAGO — When he sought a trade to the Cardinals so that he could chase annual October appearances and play in front of a packed ballpark while wearing a uniform embroidered with history, Nolan Arenado also, privately, wanted to prove he could excel beyond Colorado.

One of the National League’s best all-around players when he arrived in St. Louis from Coors Field, Arenado got less of the postseason success than expected but still plenty from five seasons. They included the on-field performance of a career year and the off-field joy of becoming a father for the first time.

“It feels like in Colorado, I grew up, and in St. Louis, I became a man and a father,” Arenado said. “And now my next chapter — I don’t know what’s going to happen. Hopefully, it’s being a champion.”

He is preparing t

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