Cardinals-Brendan Donovan Trade Buzz Gaining Steam As Offseason Approaches

The Cardinals could end up trading one of their fan favorite stars in the offseason...

Sep 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) is greeted by teammates after hitting a solo home against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are seemingly entering a rebuild this offseason, as they're a few steps behind the top teams in the National League.

St. Louis, under the direction of Chaim Bloom, will need to make some big moves in the offseason, or it could find itself in the same tough position for the next few years.

Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints recently suggested the Cardinals could trade star utilityman Brendan Donovan in the offseason, which would be as bold a move as St. Louis could make.

Brendan Donovan emerging as a real offseason trade candidate

Sep 16, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) crosses home plate for a run against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

"Donovan, 28, earned the first All-Star selection of his career in 2025. Through 113 games played this season, the left-handed hitter has slashed .283/.351/.409 to go along with 10 home runs, 25 doubles and a .760 OPS. Donovan has quietly been one of MLB’s better players over the years. From 2022-2025, he has recorded at least a .278 batting average, .342 OBP and .773 OPS in each season," Mistretta wrote. "2025 was the first season that saw Donovan recognized as an All-Star, however. With only a couple of years of team control remaining and the Cardinals sitting closer to the bottom of the NL Central than the top, trading him this offseason could make sense.

"St. Louis previously featured one of the more consistent teams in the sport. It seemed as if the Cardinals were in contention almost every year. The 2024 and 2025 campaigns have simply not gone according to plan. Injuries have played a role, but the fact of the matter is that the Cardinals have not performed up to expectations."

Trading Donovan would be a bold move for the Cardinals to make. He has a little bit of team control left, though it's not much. He's a fan favorite in St. Louis, and the All-Star is the team's best player.

But it makes sense. His value is never going to be higher than it is now. If the Cardinals aren't going to be able to sign him to a contract extension, which seems to be the case, trading him to a powerhouse like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason makes sense. This guarantees the Cardinals net a return for their star rather than lose him in free agency in two years.

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