Brendan Donovan Takes Stance On Future With St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to make some changes this offseason, but that doesn't mean that every veteran on this roster should be traded away.

Guys like Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray are going to be discussed at length. That makes sense. Both are expensive and are in the back-half of their careers. It makes sense for either to go off and join a contender, especially with the Cardinals seemingly approaching a rebuild. Trading either would likely bring back some sort of prospect haul while lowering payroll -- unless the Cardinals had to pay down the deals, of course.

No matter what, it's going to be interesting to see what the Cardinals do. But, one guy that arguably should be brought back is Brendan Donovan. He was the team's lone All-Star, can play elite defense all over the field, and most importantly has developed into one of the leaders of the organization. Donovan is 28 years old and has had the best season of his career so far in 2025. He's under team control for two more years, as well.

The St. Louis Cardinals should keep Brendan Donovan

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrates his double against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch shared a quote from Donovan in which he made it clear he'd like to be back. On top of that, Worthy also suggested that the Cardinals should keep him.

"Though when reporters’ questions interrupted that focus, Donovan didn’t feign as though he were oblivious to the uncertainty ahead," Worthy said. "'It’s kind of out of my control,' Donovan said of his future. 'I’ve got a lot of relationships in this clubhouse that I truly cherish. If I’m in the cards, I’d absolutely love to be here. For sure.'

"There’s certainly reason to consider trading Donovan this offseason, particularly if a trade helps the Cardinals acquire the starting pitching they desperately need. Ultimately, the Cardinals will benefit more from keeping Donovan as a cornerstone in their rebuilding efforts. They need his experience, versatility, steadiness and willingness to be one of the leaders and tone setters."

This would arguably be the right move. Earlier in the week, I shared a prediction for the 2026 lineup for St. Louis and had Donovan on it.

He's someone worth keeping around, for sure. It doesn't hurt that Donovan made it clear he wants to stay and a team insider made the same suggestion. Donovan is a star on the field, but also would be a good person to have around with a young roster. Why not?

More MLB: Cardinals Ex-All-Star Clearly Eyeing Return To St. Louis