Cardinals Reportedly Discussed Targets For Brendan Donovan Trade

Will the St. Louis Cardinals make a deal?

Jun 23, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) throws to first for an out against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2025 winter meetings with a handful of trade candidates and came away with the same number of them.

St. Louis didn't get a trade done throughout the week, but that doesn't mean that progress wasn't made. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "more than half" of the teams in baseball have expressed interest in Brendan Donovan. Rumors about a massive market have been out there for a few weeks. But Goold took it a step further and reported that the Cardinals have discussed potential returns for Donovan with "at least a few of them."

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"During the annual gathering of front offices, other team officials, and agents, the Cardinals continued to receive interest in a handful of their players, with infielder Brendan Donovan and lefty JoJo Romero among the most popular," Goold wrote. "More than half of the clubs in the majors have expressed some interest in All-Star Donovan, and the Cardinals have let at least a few of them know what they’ll want in return, per sources. The Cardinals seek pitching."

Brendan Donovan is someone to watch

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

Throughout the week, Goold also reported that the teams that have been "most consistent" to Donovan are the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and the Kansas City Royals.

Another team that was linked to Donovan throughout the winter meetings was the Boston Red Sox. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe reported that Boston expressed interest in the All-Star utility man.

So, while a deal hasn't gotten done at this point, it's clear that there is significant interest in the All-Star around the league and things are moving towards a potential resolution. The Athletic's Katie Woo recently reported that the Cardinals won't trade Donovan without "an offer they simply can’t refuse." If the Cardinals have exchanged names, it's safe to assume they have a lofty ask based on the reporting that is currently out there.

St. Louis entered the winter meetings as the team to watch in the trade market. That remains the case.

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