Cards Notebook: Arenado rising, a trade target to be wary of, more rest on the schedule, roster issues

Let's dive into all manner of Cardinals matters, including why Arenado's hot May was legit, a trade-deadline caveat emptor, and the improved schedule ahead

Let us now go spelunking within a few pressing Cardinal matters as we get past this 19-games-in-19-days nonsense …

Beware of Bieber

Guardians ace and former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber is going to be one of the most bandied-about names as we work our way toward the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Even if the Cardinals solidify the fifth spot by making Matthew Liberatore a permanent presence in the rotation and keeping Steven Matz in the bullpen (here’s hoping, on both counts), they’re probably going to need another upgrade. I’m really worried about Adam Wainwright’s capacity to get major-league hitters out at this (very late) stage of his career, and it’s likely that at some point injury will strike someone presently among the starting five. 

Since ownership and the front office bizarrely chose not to address the rotation this past offseason and since no one from the system outside of Liberatore looks ready to help in the immediate near-term, that leaves the deadline as the only path to improvement. That brings us back to Bieber, who’s probably going to be the most coveted of arms leading up to tradin’ season. Given his track record and fact that he’s not eligible for free agency until after the 2024 season, Bieber’s going to command a hefty return, should the Guards decide to move him (certainly not to be assumed, given the eminently winnable state of the AL Central). 

These Bieber trends, however, concern me: