Mariners Still Pursuing Cardinals All-Star During Winter Meetings

The Mariners aren't backing off.

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners have been aggressive so far this offseason. They already managed to re-sign Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million contract.

However, they aren’t done just yet. They need more offense, especially with Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez still free agents. There’s no guarantee either one will return to Seattle.

However, it’s always smart to have a backup plan, and the Mariners do have one. They’ve shown interest in St. Louis Cardinals All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan early on this offseason, and according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that interest hasn’t gone away and won’t anytime soon.

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Mariners Still In On Brendan Donovan

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) and President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak pose for a photo after Donovan is named the St. Louis Cardinals 2025 Roberto Clemente nominee prior to their game against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

“The pace of the Cardinals' evaluation has given teams a chance to remain in contact, including those who are the most consistent (or perhaps persistent) in their interest in Donovan: Count the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners among the teams that have remained in contact with the Cardinals, and the Kansas City Royals are also in that group, according to multiple sources,” Goold wrote.

Donovan hit .287/.353/.422 in 2025 with the Cardinals and popped 10 home runs while posting a .775 OPS during the regular season. He was one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals during their 78-84 season. 

The Cardinals need pitching, and the Mariners have plenty of depth in their system, as well as a need for more offense. Donovan is a solid contact hitter and can play both second base and third base. He also won the utility Gold Glove back in 2022.

The 28-year-old could replace either Polanco or Suarez, depending on if the Mariners are able to keep one of them. If they keep Polanco, Donovan could slot in as the everyday third baseman.

Donovan could potentially be the missing piece for the Mariners as they try to bounce back from their ALCS loss. They came to within one win of their first World Series appearance, and with Donovan on the roster, they could move closer to that goal.

It should be interesting to see how the Mariners go about adding offense as the Winter Meetings reach their final days. Donovan could be exactly what they are looking for as they hope for more success in 2026.

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