Cardinals Get Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan Market Update

The St. Louis Cardinals remain active in the trade market with a handful of pieces still out there for the taking.

While there's no way to know when the Cardinals will get their next move done, one thing is for sure. The Cardinals have played the market well. They struck early by trading Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray away. Getting the deals done early guaranteed that the club would have some success, no matter how the rest of the offseason went.

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St. Louis still has Brendan Donovan on the trade block, who is the top infielder available for trade now with Ketel Marte off the market. The club has JoJo Romero as a trade candidate, although MLB.com's John Denton reported that the Cardinals are in "no hurry" to move the hurler. Arenado is also on the trade block, and may have just gotten the best news possible. Last offseason, the Boston Red Sox were on his approved trade list, but they didn't get a deal done because the organization signed Alex Bregman. The veteran just left the organization in free agency and now there is a hole to fill.

The Cardinals are in a good position

Sep 21, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) salutes the fans after he was ceremonially removed before the start of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

On Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gave some insight into the Donovan and Arenado markets and specifically referenced Boston for both.

"The Cardinals continue to field interest in All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan and they remain intent on finding what Chaim Bloom calls a better 'fit' for Nolan Arenado," Goold wrote. "'Balls in the air with our guys as well,' Bloom told KMOX on Sunday. He added the team was not 'super close' on anything.
The Cardinals have already traded two All-Stars, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, to the Red Sox this winter, and Boston has maintained interest in Donovan this winter pending other moves, per sources.

"A year ago, the Cardinals and Boston also discussed a trade for Arenado. His close friend and former teammate in Colorado, Boston shortstop Trevor Story, stumped for the addition of Arenado to the Red Sox lineup, and Arenado would have waived his no-trade clause for the right deal to Fenway Park, sources said. Even at the start of spring training, the Cardinals maintained contact with Boston about a potential Arenado deal – but Boston was waiting on Bregman...The Red Sox are back in the market for a third baseman or an infielder, and the Cardinals have both to discuss in trade."

The Cardinals are in the driver's seat right now. They already have a few good moves under their belt. They don't have to move Donovan, although that would help to add prospects. The only move that the team arguably needs to make is trading Arenado and now there is a team with an opening at third base that had previous interest.

More MLB: Cardinals' Best Fit For Brendan Donovan Isn't Alex Bregman-Less Red Sox