The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals already have come together on a trade this offseason. But could another be on the way?

Well, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel at least raised eyebrows on Tuesday about the possibility. The ESPN insiders shared a column in which they discussed the top trade candidates in baseball with the odds of a deal getting done. Cardinals All-Star Brendan Donovan came in at No. 11 and was given a 75 percent chance of getting traded. Boston was listed as one of the fits for him.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

“The buzz: The Cardinals are not eager to trade Donovan, but the market for him is percolating, and a number of teams see the 28-year-old as an option at second base, third base or left field,” Passan and McDaniel wrote. “Because of his excellent bat-to-ball skills and gap power, Donovan can bat leadoff or occupy a middle-of-the-order role on a team with boppers. Almost nobody is off-limits as new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom retools the Cardinals, and Donovan is the best of the available bunch.

The Red Sox have the means to get any sort of trade done

“The scouting report: Donovan has two years of control left at very affordable arbitration rates before free agency. He has plus ability to get on base, though the rest of his game is around average. He primarily plays second base, with some versatility, and hits left-handed. Donovan is a steady 3-win player with more value than most fans realize. Predicted chance of getting traded: 75 percent. Team fits: Dodgers, Mariners, Yankees, Red Sox, Pirates, Giants, Royals, Guardians.”

Donovan is a phenomenal player. He’s 28 years old, can play all over the field, has won a Gold Glove Award, and is cost-controlled. He got most of his playing time at second base in 2025, but also saw time at left field and shortstop. Overall, he played 118 games and slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 homers, 32 doubles, and 50 RBIs.

The 28-year-old won’t be a free agent until 2028 and would make sense for Boston if Alex Bregman doesn’t return. In that scenario, he could help the team out at third base. Or, he could play second base with Marcelo Mayer playing third base. If Bregman returns, a deal wouldn’t make much sense because the Red Sox would have Mayer available to play second base and there’s already a surplus of outfielders.

Donovan is a great player and should be monitored. But again, only if Bregman doesn’t return.

More MLB: Red Sox, Joe Ryan Trade Deadline Rumors Were Overblown