Phillies Listed as Trade Suitor for Cardinals' All-Star, Gold Glove Award Winner

A star utility player has found themself once again on the trade market, and the Phillies could be a legitimate candidate to acquire him

May 25, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are yet again at the forefront of a slew of offseason rumors, as the club will look to significantly upgrade a few different areas before the 2026 season begins.

While the team's brass has kept all outlets open as to how they will approach the offseason in terms of both addition and subtraction, two position groups have emerged as priorities that could take precedent over others: third base and the outfield as a whole.

Alec Bohm, while productive, has yet to fully take a step forward and solidify himself as a capable long-term solution at 3B. Neither his power nor his defense has developed enough to offset the other, and with just one year left on his contract, the front office could look elsewhere. The outfield has long been an issue both offensively and defensively, and the uncertainty of both Nick Castellanos and Harrison Bader's future with the team makes it an even more pressing need.

With the opening of free agency and the trade market drawing ever closer, MLB Trade Rumors writer Mark Polishuk delved into the potential market of a trade candidate that has made waves among MLB media for a while now in a piece published this week. He introduced the Phillies as a potential landing spot for said player's services, offering a creative way for the team to address multiple needs at once.

Phillies Named Trade Fit For Brendan Donovan

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) throws to first for an out against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Polishuk compiled a large, categorized list of teams that could be in on Donovan, with the Phillies landing among "Past Trade Suitors" that could revisit the possibility of adding him.

The case for Donovan in Polishuk's eyes revolves around former interest and him being an on-paper improvement at multiple positions for Philadelphia.

"Donovan could slot in for Philadelphia at third base if Alec Bohm is moved or in either corner outfield spot," Polishuk said. "As some room will become open in the Phils’ outfield once Nick Castellanos is gone."

It's not the cleanest fit, and he named a handful of teams that are more aligned options than the Phillies but still made the point to list them among the top potential suitors.

Donovan Could Be Major Two-Way Sparkplug

While some fans might scoff at a utility player being depicted as a major addition, Donovan is far more than the likes of Edmundo Sosa and Kike Hernandez, among others.

For starters, he has proven to be a capable defender at a plethora of positions, including both corner infield and outfield spots, as well as middle infield. A 2022 Gold Glove Award winner, he has consistently been adequate on the defensive side despite somewhat unfavorable metrics.

Donovan's offensive production has been steady as well, posting an OPS above .750 in each of his four MLB seasons, with a career .282 batting average. He's a finalist for the Utilityman Silver Slugger Award this season, and the advanced data on his Baseball Savant page show no signs of regression on the horizon.

They kept the hits coming all season long!

Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan are finalists for the NL Utility Silver Slugger Award! pic.twitter.com/iecuvxYcoV

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) October 22, 2025

A trade package for Donovan, who has one year of control left, would be far less expensive than other moves. He could slot in at third base, barring a Bohm trade, and immediately fill in anywhere needed in the outfield. It's still unclear as to how motivated St. Louis is to move him, but the Phillies could be squarely in the middle of his market if they choose to do so.