Cardinals Could Find Brendan Donovan Trade Match With AL Central Contender

The Cardinals will receive a lot of interest in Donovan.

Sep 12, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second base Brendan Donovan (33) gets a base hit against the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are about to reach a critical point in the offseason. The Winter Meetings will begin on Sunday in Orlando, and Chaim Bloom will be busy making deals.

Bloom has already traded Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Richard Fitts and pitching prospect Brandon Clarke. But that won’t be nearly the last trade that Bloom makes this winter.

Among their top trade candidates is All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, who could bring back a solid return of Major League ready prospects and some young, cost controlled starting pitching. Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel listed him as a top trade candidate and had the Cleveland Guardians as a potential fit.

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Cardinals, Guardians Could Be Ideal Trade Partners For Donovan

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) take his position against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Donovan hit .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, 50 RBI and a .775 OPS during the regular season. He was one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals in 2025.

However, he can bring back the best possible return, and the Guardians have plenty of young prospects that could be of use to St. Louis.

Two of their top 15 prospects are pitchers. Right-hander Khal Stephen, who came over from the Toronto Blue Jays is their No. 6 prospect according to MLB.com, while left-hander Parker Messick is their No. 11 prospect and has already experienced the Major Leagues.

Messick could slot into St. Louis’ rotation immediately, while Stephen could be ready in the minor leagues in case of an injury. The Cardinals have a lot of work to do, but they can accomplish a lot by trading Donovan, especially if they send him to the Guardians.

Cleveland would receive a star player that could transform their offense, while the Cardinals could stock up on pitching depth and make sure that they have enough of it to get through the 2026 season.

St. Louis should be very active during the Winter Meetings, and it would not be a surprise if Donovan is dealt during that time frame. The Cardinals are focused on the future rather than the present and could benefit from moving Donovan to a contender and setting themselves up well for the next several years.

We’ll see what comes next for the Cardinals as they continue their transition.

More MLB: Insider Report Clarifies Brendan Donovan’s Situation With Cardinals