Cardinals Suddenly Have Opening In Brendan Donovan Sweepstakes

If the St. Louis Cardinals haven't done so already, they should try to get the Boston Red Sox on the phone once again.

Chaim Bloom, who helped build the Red Sox's farm system, has already completed two different deals with his former organization involving Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray. There have been rumors out there since the Contreras deal got done about Boston having interest in another Cardinals star: Brendan Donovan.

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The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported back in December that the Cardinals and Red Sox discussed a trade around Donovan.

The Cardinals have another move to make

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

"St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, who already has traded right-hander Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox, might not be done dealing with his former club," Rosenthal wrote. "The Cardinals and Red Sox also have discussed a trade that would send infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan to Boston, according to people briefed on the conversations. Donovan likely would play second base for the Red Sox, who have also been linked to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte."

After the Red Sox lost Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs in free agency on Saturday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand threw the idea out there again around Boston and Donovan.

"The Sox have a surplus in the outfield and rotation from which to deal, so a trade could be a prime option if the answer doesn’t come via free agency," Feinsand wrote. "Brendan Donovan remains available on the trade market, and Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom knows the Boston system as well as anybody, given that he brought many of those players into the organization."

The Cardinals got a bit of good news earlier in the week as Ketel Marte reportedly was taken off the trade block. His market and Donovan's seemingly overlapped -- including the Red Sox. Now, there's one less star available and the Red Sox have a significant need after losing Bregman. If there's a prospect -- or a few -- that Bloom wants, now's the time to get Boston on the phone again.

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