Despite starting the second-half of the 2023 MLB season on a positive note, nothing has really changed for the St. Louis Cardinals. They still remain 11.5 games back in the National League Central with a slew of injuries and deficiencies. This perennial scrapper just does not have enough time, resources or good fortune to claw their way back into contention this year.

That means the team's fate is pretty clear heading into the Aug. 1 trade deadline. St. Louis is going to sell. Though, with four-consecutive postseason berths preceding this year and a roster still strong on paper, a complete rebuild is likely out of the question.

“I’d be very surprised, I think everybody would be,” baseball insider Jon Heyman said on the Mully and Haugh Show, via Audacy.com. “Something is going on there that’s not right, but I think they clearly said they’re now playing for 2024, so they’re a seller, but you don’t want to trade {Nolan} Arenado if you’re playing for next year. I think that one is extremely unlikely.”

Cards president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has tough decisions to make, but apparently keeping an eight-time All-Star who is one of the top two-way players in the game is a no-brainer for the organization. Nolan Arenado is locked up for several more years and has been St. Louis' best player this season. He is hitting .280 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs. The 32-year-old has seen his historically-elite fielding dip in 2023, but he remains a valuable building block going forward.

Obviously Mozeliak cannot live in denial, though. Trading expiring contracts is the most practical thing the franchise can do in the coming weeks, as it looks to quickly retool for next season.

“So, they’ll probably trade {Jordan} Montgomery, {Jack} Flaherty, {Jordan} Hicks, maybe some other spare pieces, but their spare pieces are talented,” Heyman said. “They have a lot of good hitters, they really do, and they have extra ones, and they can trade them. But the free agent guys – Montgomery, Flaherty, Hicks – should go.”

That is a lot of pitching talent to surrender, but it might be the only way to ensure that this year is an anomaly and not the beginning of a prolonged nightmare for the Cardinals.