St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado got honest about his team's success amid several trade rumors. The Cardinals are one of the hottest teams in the league, having won eight out of their past ten games and making up ground in the NL Central race. St. Louis currently sits at 44-36 overall and is just 2.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the division. The Cardinals are also tied with the Milwaukee Brewers in the division and for the final spot in the wild card race right now.

It's a long season, but this team is in a great rhythm right now, and Arenado knows it. The 34-year-old is one of the greatest third basemen of all time, and while he is no longer in his prime, still a key contributor on this roster. Based on recent comments, it doesn't sound like Arenado wants to be traded anytime soon. In an interview with St. Louis sports reporter Tamar Sher, the veteran infielder broke down his excitement about the Cardinals' current series against the Cubs.

“Just seeing everyone, one through nine, contributing, I like playing baseball like this, against the Cubs, where games matter. As you get older, that’s what you want to play for. You don’t want to play games just to play games. Individually, I’ve accomplished some things in this sport, and I just want to accomplish something team-oriented and special now, and win a World Series. This is the most excited I've come to the ballpark, for a series like this in about two years.

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We’ve done a really good job establishing that there’s a standard to be played here on both sides of the ball, and if you’re not bringing it offensively, you can still bring it defensively. And I think that’s something we’re seeing with this group. They are starting to learn that to be a good player, to be here for a long time, you've got to play both sides of the ball.”

The Cardinals have now won the first two games of this series against the Cubs, and head into tonight's clash with a chance to shrink Chicago's lead in the division even more. The MLB trade deadline is about a month away, so the rumors are swirling about whether St. Louis will look to deal Arenado. The eight-time All-Star is set to make $52 million total over the next three seasons and still a quality player in this league.

Overall, should the Cardinals continue their recent run of form, it'll be difficult for the fanbase if the front office makes any drastic moves. The roster could use some upgrades, particularly with the starting pitching staff and the bullpen, to emerge as a true contender in the NL. But it's clear, looking at Arenado's statements, the vibes are very high right now with this current group, and it would be a great idea to potentially mess them up.