Cardinals $2.85 Million Star Named 'Prime Trade Candidate'

Will the St. Louis Cardinals trade the All-Star?

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Over these next few months there's going to be a lot of noise about who will be back with the St. Louis Cardinals.

There are so many variables at play with Chaim Bloom taking over. It's unclear what his plan is, obviously. It's too early. At this point, if Cardinals fans want to take a look into the future, the best way to do so is to listen to the league insiders. With two weeks to go in the regular season, stories are going to start to come out in preparation for the offseason.

For example, on Tuesday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal shared a column and one nugget that stood out was the fact that he called Brendan Donovan a "prime trade candidate" to be moved this winter.

Who will return for the Cardinals?

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) poses for a photo after Donovan is named the St. Louis Cardinals 2025 Roberto Clemente nominee prior to their game against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

"Infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan was the Cardinals’ lone All-Star this season, but with only two years of club control remaining, he looms as a prime trade candidate," Rosenthal said. "As good an example as Donovan is for the Cardinals’ younger players, Donovan might depart as a free agent by the time the team is good again. One of the Cardinals’ problems the past two years is that they’ve gone only halfway in rebuilding efforts. And it hasn’t worked.

"Then again, the Cardinals need to field a team next season, and can’t simply trade everyone. Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera are two hitters they can build around. Shortstop Masyn Winn, a leading Gold Glove candidate with offensive upside, will undergo meniscus surgery in October, but is expected to be ready for spring training and is another keeper."

Losing Donovan would be difficult, but he would bring back a pretty penny. He can play all over the field, is a leader in the clubhouse, and was an All-Star this season. He had just a $2.85 million deal in 2025 and is under team control for two more seasons. It makes sense that a team could want Donovan, but this would certainly be a big blow.

More MLB: Major Cardinals Storyline To Watch Down The Stretch