Did the Cardinals just give the Mariners an ultimatum regarding Brendan Donovan?

At a recent team event, St. Louis general manager Chaim Bloom sends a cryptic message about the 'now-or-never' approach that the Redbirds might take with their talented infielder

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) hits a single against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

As the Seattle Mariners continue their never-ending pursuit of St. Louis Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan, their leadership had some interesting recent comments regarding the situation. Redbirds' new general manager Chaim Bloom, in the midst of a major team overhaul, seemed to stress a sense of urgency regarding a potential trade.

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According to Derek Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Bloom stated he wanted the Donovan deal done before Spring Training - or at least alluded strongly in that manner. The problem remains that the Cards seem to value the career .282 hitter a little more than the Mariners do, and that's brought the talks to a screeching halt. As one MLB Insider recently noted, this could turn into a tantalizing trap for the M's.

"You’ve already seen the valuation gap get loud," Tremayne Person of Sodo Mojo wrote. "St. Louis treats Donovan like a headliner, while interested teams see a very good complementary player. That distinction is the whole negotiation. Because the second Seattle starts bargaining against its own need, the price jumps."

It shouldn't be 'do or die' for Donovan

Jun 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) slides head first in to second base for a double as Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) attempts to field the throw during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"So this is the Mariners’ now-or-never warning — but not in the way St. Louis wants," Person assessed. "It’s a warning to pick a line and hold it. Decide what Donovan is worth to you, not what the Cardinals want him to be worth in public. If the price stays absurd, walk and pivot. If it drops into reality, make your move."

The Mariners have built one of the strongest systems in MLB today, so they can afford to deal a few major cards to gamble on Donovan. But as Person writes, that would be a mistake. The best way to unravel what the M's have built is to begin over-stretching on deals that drain the team of its future nucleus. It's doubtful that team president Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander are willing to do that, even for a player like Donovan.

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