The St. Louis Cardinals must balance long-term interests and near-term contention leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. That's a challenging needle to thread, but the current realities in St. Louis are such that they must do so.

Players like him rarely become available at the trade deadline, and the Cardinals could fetch a strong return for him. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, an Arenado deal wouldn't happen without his consultation,

In his final trade deadline as President of Baseball Operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, John Mozeliak discussed the club’s strategy in the place he made his Major League debut.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks wrap up their 3-game series Sunday at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Get Cardinals vs Rockies baseball betting preview, spread and over/under insights for their matchup on July 23.