Cardinals All-Star May Remain in St. Louis After All

There hasn't been much movement.

Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images | David Kohl-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of Major League Baseball's most active teams this offseason. They have signed pitchers Dustin May and Ryne Stanek, but have also traded Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras.

Brendan Donovan has been their top trade chip all offseason long, with teams such as the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox showing interest in the All-Star. However, not much has happened with his market aside from rumors on where he might end up going.

However, with spring training fast approaching, it may be becoming likely that he will ultimately remain a Cardinal in 2026, at least at the start.

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The Market Has Been Quiet

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

Donovan has two years left of team control, which makes him an attractive trade chip for contending clubs. That timeline doesn't exactly line up well with the Cardinals' next window to contend.

Ultimately, it wouldn't be the worst thing for the Cardinals if they are unable to trade Donovan. While he could bring back a lot of top prospects, the offers the Cardinals have been getting may not be great.

At the same time, he is a leader on the club. He's a solid contact hitter and utility player that can be used at almost every position on the field. The 28-year-old even won the Utility Gold Glove award back in 2022, his rookie season.

With Donovan on the roster, the Cardinals are a much better team. There isn't exactly somebody that they can replace him with if he were to be traded. They may not be a contender, but having him around for the first year of the rebuild could be helpful for the younger players.

In addition, this won't be their last opportunity to trade Donovan. If they are out of contention at the trade deadline, then they could still trade Donovan and bring back a good haul of prospects.

His value should still be pretty high at that point, so it wouldn't hurt the Cardinals if they ultimately have to hold onto him for now. They have a lot of left-handed bats, which is a reason to potentially trade him, but he is far and away the best of the bunch, so having their table setter around for a little while longer would be just fine.

And because there hasn't been much activity, it's looking more likely that he'll stay put for now.

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