The St. Louis Cardinals have some busy work ahead of them this offseason. Under Chaim Bloom, there will be some big trades made to ship out some high-priced veterans and stars.
Among the players likely to be traded is All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, who reportedly has a very robust market at the moment. Of all of St. Louis’ trade chips, he holds the most value and can get them the best possible return.
However, there is a case that can be made for St. Louis to hold onto him rather than trade him. Will Leitch of MLB.com makes an interesting one.
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The Case To Keep Brendan Donovan
Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) collects a ball hit by the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
“He’s their best player, first off. He’s also probably their most popular, one who has come up in the Cardinals’ system and one Cardinals fans have come to love. Trading him is essentially an admission that the Cardinals aren’t trying that hard to contend for the next two years,” Leitch wrote.
Donovan is one of the most beloved players on the roster among fans and teammates. While he can bring back a big haul in exchange, that presence would be missed.
He has turned himself into a clubhouse leader, and not having him around to mentor the younger players could ultimately backfire for St. Louis and potentially even change the vibe in the clubhouse, and not for the better.
The Cardinals have made clear that 2026 isn’t going to be a year in which they contend. Instead, they’ll be looking towards the future and trying to build a younger roster.
But without Donovan, the lineup loses a key contributor. Even putting JJ Wetherholt at second base wouldn’t fully replace Donovan. He also is an elite defender, having won a Utility Gold Glove back in 2022.
Fans would certainly miss Donovan as well, and it would not be a very popular move with the fanbase, even though the Cardinals need to rebuild. There is merit in potentially keeping him around and looking to trade another left-handed bat like Lars Nootbaar or Nolan Gorman.
It will be interesting to see how the Cardinals approach the offseason and a potential Donovan trade. It may seem like the right move on the surface, but there could be some major drawbacks to actually pulling the trigger on the deal.
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