Colorado Rockies: The one team that Trevor Story should not be traded to

It is likely inevitable event that Colorado Rockies fans have been bracing for a long: The Rockies trading shortstop Trevor Story.

A trade to any team will be painful for Rockies fans, regardless of where he is traded to and regardless of the trade return.

We have discussed teams that are in talks to acquire Story, including the Oakland A’s and another team, when we spoke with our colleague Robert Murray recently.

But Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report mentioned another team on Thursday that, if Story was traded there, would be a huge dagger to the heart for Rockies fans. A big enough dagger that the Rockies would be in danger of losing thousands more fans.

What team should the Rockies not trade Trevor Story to? The St. Louis Cardinals.

If Story was traded to the Cardinals, it would be the ultimate dagger because he would be joining his former teammate, Nolan Arenado, who was just traded to St. Louis in February.

Considering that Story has less on his contract than Arenado (unless he opts out, which Arenado said he does not plan on doing nor did he plan on doing with the Rockies), if Story is traded to the Cardinals, the Rockies would likely be getting a return of next to nothing.

More from Rox Pile

• A Colorado Rockies Thanksgiving
• Colorado Rockies: What if Todd Helton had played football instead?
• Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the season
• Colorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers series
• Colorado Rockies: Has Sean Bouchard earned a second look in 2023?

After all, the return for Arenado was for Austin Gomber (who has pitched well) and low-level prospects when realistically, the Rockies should be getting more for Story than they did Arenado.

The Cardinals, though, do have an opening for Story at shortstop. Their regular shortstop, Paul DeJong, is currently on the injured list with a fractured rib. But also, he is nowhere near as good as Story is, especially since the former All-Star’s offense has been on a steady decline since his rookie campaign in 2017.

If they still wanted to keep DeJong, they could use him at second base (where he has some playing time) and move Tommy Edman, who has been their best player in 2021, out to right field, where he also had played some.

The Cardinals also likely have the finances to keep Story long term as the protocols on stadium attendance begins opening up more and will be at 100 percent on June 14, and the Cardinals rely on that more than most teams.

Despite it being a bigger dagger to the heart than any other team, don’t be surprised if the Cardinals keep coming up in trade rumors for the next weeks or months but trading Story to the Cardinals may become even more of a mistake than the Arenado trade and all but seal the fate of the fandom of thousands of Rockies fans who may even decide to become Cardinals fans since the Rockies two best players of this era of Rockies baseball would be playing next to each other once again.