Royals Among 'Most Consistent' Suitors For Cardinals All-Star, Insider
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The Kansas City Royals are on the hunt for a couple of bats to boost their lineup. They scored just 651 runs during the regular season, the third fewest in Major League Baseball.
They are hoping to add a bat in free agency and one via trade as well. They have the pitching depth to make a deal with another team to land the offensive threat they’re looking for.
One player that they have shown a lot of interest in is St. Louis Cardinals All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the Royals are still interested, as are several other teams.
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Royals Still Interested In Brendan Donovan
“The pace of the Cardinals' evaluation has given teams a chance to remain in contact, including those who are the most consistent (or perhaps persistent) in their interest in Donovan: Count the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners among the teams that have remained in contact with the Cardinals, and the Kansas City Royals are also in that group, according to multiple sources,” Goold reported.
Donovan was one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals in 2025. The first-time All-Star hit .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, 50 RBI and a .775 OPS.
The Royals did keep Jonathan India for 2026, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still need a second baseman. They also could use Donovan in left field, a place where they also have a hole.
The 28-year-old can play almost any position on the field, and he also can provide a little power from the left side of the plate. He even won the utility Gold Glove back in 2022.
The Royals have the pitching that the Cardinals would be interested in. Left-hander Noah Cameron makes the most sense as a possible trade candidate, as he isn’t a free agent until 2032.
This would be a win-now move for the Royals and one that helps the Cardinals get on with their rebuild and clear out some of their left-handed bats.
The Winter Meetings are almost over, but it will be interesting to see how the Royals go about adding to their offense. The rebuilding Cardinals make sense as a trade partner, as both teams have what the other needs.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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