End of an Era: Cardinals Say Goodbye to Fan Favorite After Blockbuster

It's a bittersweet day in St. Louis.

Sep 11, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of the 9/11 ribbon on a St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals completed a blockbuster trade late on Monday, sending All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners for a haul of prospects. It marks the end of an era in St. Louis, and also makes it clear that they are in full rebuild mode for the next few years.

It's also a bittersweet day in St. Louis. Fans are sad to say goodbye to Donovan, but also excited about the future and the young talent that Chaim Bloom and the front office have accumulated.

On X, the Cardinals posted a compilation of Donovan's highlights in St. Louis while also sharing a heartfelt parting message to their now former All-Star.

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Cardinals say goodbye

Sep 16, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) throws out Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (3) (not pictured) at first base in the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

"Whether it was on the field or in our community, you brought heart and hustle every day," the Cardinals said in their post.

"Thank you, Brendan Donovan! Best of luck in Seattle!"

Donovan came up to the Major Leagues in 2022 and was a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year award. He also won a Gold Glove that year and helped St. Louis win an NL Central title.

Despite the downturn over the past three years, Donovan has been one of the few bright spots for a rebuilding Cardinals team. He brought energy every day and had become a true veteran presence in the clubhouse. The Cardinals will certainly miss that.

In addition, they'll miss having a player that is capable of playing almost anywhere on the field. Replacing him over the next few years is going to be tough. They'll need to start developing some players into stars if they want to execute this rebuild properly.

At the very least though, they got some top prospects. Donovan certainly brought some smiles over the course of some tough seasons for Cardinals fans. He quickly endeared himself to the fanbase and provided some great memories despite the team's struggles.

Now that Donovan has been traded, the Cardinals can either shift their focus to trading JoJo Romero or potentially look to add a right-handed power bat to their lineup to make up for the loss of Donovan.

Saying goodbye to a fan favorite is never easy, but Cardinals fans will remember him fondly for everything he did for the organization.

More MLB: Brendan Donovan Trade Opens Clear Path to Cardinals’ Next Objective