Red Sox Next Target Could Stall Potential Cardinals Trade

There are still hurdles to clear.

Mar 17, 2025; North Port, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox hats on the stairs to the dugout before the start of the game between the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

After the Boston Red Sox lost Alex Bregman in free agency to the Chicago Cubs, the St. Louis Cardinals may be a team that can help them out. They have two trade chips that could be obvious fits for Boston.

Brendan Donovan is their biggest trade chip, and could ultimately be of interest to the Red Sox. However, just like last offseason with Nolan Arenado, there might be a bit of a holdup.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Red Sox are now turning their attention to Bo Bichette, which could ultimately stall the trade market for Donovan.

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What Sox Pursuit Of Bichette Means For Cards

Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrate with first base coach Packy Elkins (86)after hitting a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Red Sox have shown interest in Donovan this offseason, and if the Cardinals send him to Boston, then it will be the third trade Chaim Bloom has made with his old club. He already sent Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to Boston earlier this winter.

However, it would seem that the Red Sox’s interest in Bichette is holding things up for the Cardinals. If that’s their main target, then the Cardinals may have to wait a little longer to move Donovan, if Boston is the team that ultimately lands him.

But if Bichette signs elsewhere, the Cardinals will have an opening. For now though, the Red Sox have a clear target in mind, and that could ultimately cause more delays for the Cardinals.

Free agency has moved slowly over the past several years. It took until mid-February last offseason for Bregman to sign with the Red Sox, and once he did, it killed any chance of the Cardinals being able to send Arenado to Boston and forced them to hold onto him for 2025.

If Bichette ends up in Boston, there are still plenty of teams that could target Donovan, such as the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners, who Katie Woo reported were the top suitors for him last month.

It will be interesting to see how the Bichette sweepstakes play out, and a lot ultimately depends on where he’ll go. But if that’s the Red Sox’s top target, the Cardinals may have to wait a little bit to move Donovan, unless San Francisco or Seattle gives them an offer that they can’t refuse.

More MLB: Cardinals Suddenly Have Opening In Brendan Donovan Sweepstakes