Mariners Linked To Potential Trade For Cardinals All-Star

The Seattle Mariners have had an interesting offseason thus far. After losing the ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays, they managed to keep Josh Naylor on a five-year deal, but lost Jorge Polanco to the New York Mets.

As the offseason progresses, they still have plenty of irons in the fire. They could look to make a trade to upgrade their roster, or they could potentially even re-sign Eugenio Suarez.

But if they are going to make a trade, they have a clear target: St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report predicts that Donovan will end up in Seattle by spring training.

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Donovan Fits Mariners Needs

Sep 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) hits a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

“Versatile veteran Brendan Donovan remains a strong candidate to be moved before the start of the regular season, and the Mariners are a logical landing spot with a clear need at second base,” Reuter wrote.

With Polanco gone, second base has become a major hole for the Mariners. Donovan is a former All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner. He is also a solid contact hitter from the left side of the plate, so he fits exactly what Seattle is looking for.

The Mariners are clear about not wanting to give up any Major League ready talent in trades, but they have the prospect capital to get a deal done. The Cardinals will be seeking top prospects in trades, and the Mariners have plenty of options in their farm system, including switch-pitcher and No. 7 prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje.

The Cardinals need more pitching in their system, and the Mariners are fortunate to have a lot of depth in that department. Donovan can also play multiple positions, so if they want to put him at third base or in the outfield, they could easily do that.

Second base is his main position, but he is versatile and the fact that he can play multiple positions could make him an attractive target for the Mariners.

It will be interesting to see what president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has planned next, but it’s clear that he is all-in on trying to make the Mariners a World Series contender in 2026.

There’s a lot of work left to be done, but Seattle clearly has high goals for 2026.

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