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The Seattle Mariners likely have one more major piece of business to do before opening day. Team officials have, so far, only made a few relatively minor moves during the current offseason. Re-signing Josh Naylor was a key deal for the club, and they also landed the versatile Rob Refsnyder to add outfield depth.

One glaring issue with the Mariners, however, pertains to their infield. At the moment, Seattle would go with a combination of Ben Williamson, Colt Emerson, and Cole Young to fill in at second and third base. The young trio is rated highly within the organization. Despite this, the Mariners have been linked with a significant trade to solve their precarious infield situation.

Over the weekend, Seattle hosted their annual FanFest. During the event, Jerry Dipoto, the club’s president of baseball operations, hinted that he wants to make a big splash. “There’s one more move that we feel like is in, and we want to make,” declared Dipoto, as reported by Redbird Rants. “We’ve been grinding hard for the last handful of days to see if we can bring it through, and hopefully we do.”

Dipoto’s comments seemingly involve St. Louis Cardinals infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan. The Mariners have been linked with a potential trade for the versatile All-Star practically all winter. Donovan can play several positions, including second or third base.

Seattle Mariners Receive Good News Regarding Brendan Donovan Situation

GettyBrendan Donovan became an All-Star and Gold Glover with the Cardinals.

The Mariners are not the only team to be interested in acquiring Donovan. The Boston Red Sox, in particular, have also been heavily linked to the Cardinals’ star. While a move to Fenway cannot yet be ruled out, Buster Olney has poured cold water on the idea. According to the insider, the Red Sox appear more likely to solve their infield issues in-house.

If so, the Mariners would have a huge advantage in the Donovan sweepstakes. Seattle may not have to wait long to strike a deal with St. Louis, either. Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom essentially named a soft trade deadline regarding Donovan. During a recent appearance on “Sports on a Sunday Morning” on KMOX Sports, Bloom hinted that a decision will be made ahead of Spring Training.

“I don’t want this to be something that’s a day-to-day issue hanging over us in the spring,” claimed Bloom. “So, if there is something that is put to us that makes sense for us to do, as difficult as that would be emotionally, I’d like for that to happen before camp opens. I don’t believe in setting any official deadlines here. Obviously, we never turn our phones off. But our mindset will be that we would like to get that clarity for us, for Brendan, sooner rather than later.”

Donovan Remains Seattle’s Top Trade Target

Adam Jude of The Seattle Times also believes that Donovan is the most likely target for the Mariners. Bloom’s comments reiterate feelings around the league that St. Louis is motivated to move the star. As Jude points out, Seattle has been linked with New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty and Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner, but these moves now seem unlikely.

Potentially grabbing Donovan would be excellent news for the reigning American League West champions. Although the Mariners are a quality team, they could use an upgrade in the infield. Second and third base were the only two positions in which the team recorded a WAR of under 1.5 in 2025.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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