Cardinals Poised to Move All-Star in Major Winter Meetings Trade

Expect a lot of activity from the Cardinals next week.

Jul 3, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals equipment manager shines the batting helmets prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are set to make some moves next week at the Winter Meetings. They have a lot of players that contending teams will want in potential trades.

One of their top trade chips is All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, who has two years of club control remaining. But with the Cardinals not expected to contend, teams will be all over trying to acquire Donovan.

The Cardinals already traded Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, but more moves are expected to follow. Andrew Simon of MLB.com predicts that Donovan will be the next Cardinal to go.

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Why Brendan Donovan Will Be The Next Player The Cardinals Trade

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

“While an Arenado deal might have to wait for top free-agent third basemen to come off the board, one could imagine a Donovan deal coming to fruition more quickly if Bloom gets an offer he likes for one of the hottest names on the trade market,” Simon wrote. 

“There is reason to be opportunistic here, especially with a top prospect, infielder JJ Wetherholt, knocking on the door.”

Donovan simply has the best value of all the Cardinals trade chips. Their top priority is trading Nolan Arenado, but that may take a while. 

Donovan could bring back a massive haul of top prospects as the Cardinals try to rebuild and focus on the future rather than the present. They need young and controllable pitching, and they can acquire that by moving Donovan.

Plenty of teams that have shown interest have the pitching that the Cardinals would desire. The Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals all have the necessary depth to spare in order to trade for Donovan.

The Cardinals have a lot of left-handed bats on their roster, so clearing that logjam out would make a lot of sense as they try to balance out their roster for 2026. 

It should be interesting to see what the Cardinals try to do next week. The Winter Meetings begin on Sunday, and it’s safe to assume that they will be very busy trying to find new homes for some of their trade chips.

They have a lot of work to do, but Chaim Bloom has made clear that he is willing to be bold and make difficult decisions.

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