WASHINGTON -- Rockies shortstop Trevor Story counts teammates Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado as friends he can win with (even this year, although he knows time is running low), and as mentors in the baseball business.

With next Wednesday’s Trade Deadline approaching, scouts from other teams are asking an interesting question: Will the Rockies have to deal a player with a big contract so they can afford a multi-year contract for Story, who is under club control for two more years?

Many factors go into the situation -- none of which concern Story more than ending the Rockies’ current struggles. Nonetheless, they exist.

• Watch MLB Network for around-the-clock Trade Deadline coverage

The Rockies could get a financial boost with the next television contract, with their current deal with AT&T SportsNet expiring after 2021. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association expires in December 2022, which would be Story’s winter of free agency.

But when Story does think about it, what he knows is he loves playing alongside Arenado, at the start of a deal for eight years and $260 million, and Blackmon, in the second year of six at $108 million. Story accepted pointers from both before avoiding arbitration with a one-year, $5 million deal for this season.

“You know Chuck and Nolan are here for a long time,” Story said. “Those guys are two of my best friends on this team. Obviously, it’s appealing to me. But I just look at it as it would be awesome to play here with those guys for a long time. It’s as simple as that.

“I leaned on Nolan a lot, and Chuck through arbitration to see how that whole process goes, and their experience helped me and made me feel more comfortable. As far as anything long-term, I’ve asked them little details of how it went and they shared that with me. It’s really something that we’ll see if we can use in the future.”

There have been reports that the Rockies could look to move Blackmon, but most come with the caveat that it is more likely this winter than next week -- and maybe just as likely not at all. There will be speculation that others with multi-year deals could or could not be on the move for payroll relief. The season has given the Rockies a list of areas to improve, both on their roster and with their system depth.

On the second thought, it’s possible the cast will be largely the same when next Wednesday passes. Some contracts are hard to move, and after postseason appearances the last two years, the Rockies may figure they need tweaks instead of an overhaul.

But Story believes he’s better off not stressing about it, especially when the team is trying to turnaround a disappointing season.

“You allow yourself to go there mentally, think forward and see what it looks like,” Story said. “I believe in this organization. Playing with guys like Chuck and Nolan for a long time would be amazing. But I’m really focused on the day-to-day activities here. That’s how I do it so it’s really not weighing on me.”

Staying away from the deadline discussion

Rockies manager Bud Black agrees with Story that the Trade Deadline isn’t an issue worthy of the Rockies’ time during this rough period. If there is a turnaround, it would most likely have to come from the roster as constructed.

“We’re just focused on what we need to do as a team to right the ship,” Black said. “There’s no use talking about anything but what this group has to do. I don’t think our focus is at all diverted on what’s going on this time of year. Our focus is on the most fundamental thing, trying to win a baseball game.”

Updates

• Arenado didn’t start Thursday after going 2-for-11 in the first three games of the series with the Nationals, and 5-for-21 during the first six games of the current road trip.

“We were looking at certain dates [for a day off] and this was one of them, but it naturally coincides with the fact he has been grinding lately. It makes sense,” Black said.

• Righty Jon Gray felt better Thursday after leaving Wednesday’s first doubleheader game after four innings because of a bruised right calf. He was hit by a line drive. Of his next start, Gray said, “Oh, I’m not going to miss that.”