The St. Louis Cardinals have let the rest of MLB know that they are open for business after trading Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox.
If the National League franchise is headed toward a full rebuild, their move earlier this week won’t be the last one made this offseason, and the Cleveland Guardians should jump into the action and take advantage of their sale.
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There are a few players on St. Louis’ roster who would make a ton of sense with Cleveland, and CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson recently named the Guardians a potential suitor for arguably the Cardinals’ top new trade candidate: Brendan Donovan.
Not only is Cleveland a possible trade fit for Donovan on paper, but there were reports earlier this offseason that the Guardians had indeed checked in with the Cardinals for a possible deal centered around the 28-year-old.
Would Donovan’s fit with the Guardians be seamless? No. Could they make it work? Absolutely.
May 9, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second base Brendan Donovan (33) returns to the dugout after striking out against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Donovan is primarily a second baseman, but has also played shortstop, third base, left field, center field, right field, and a little bit of first base throughout his career; he truly is a super utility player.
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The Guardians could start Donovan on the right side of the infield at the beginning of 2026, then move him around once Travis Bazzana is ready for his MLB debut.
The key with acquiring Donovan, though, is that he has a great bat. In 2025, he recorded a .287/.353/.422 slash line with an OPS+ of 119. Yes, Donovan is another left-handed hitter, but the Guardians need all of the offensive help they can get.
Any time the Guardians trade, or might trade, for a player, their contract is always going to be a topic of discussion.
“Donovan might be the most obvious trade candidate in the majors. His two years of remaining team control will stretch beyond his 31st birthday, and it seems unlikely that the Cardinals value those to the same extent that a more competitive squad will,” wrote Anderson.
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As the analyst notes, Donovan is still a few years away from free agency, giving the Guardians some time to determine his long-term future with the team. Even if Cleveland trades for Donovan and doesn’t sign him to an extension, he could still be a key piece for the team over the next year and a half.
The Guardians need more offense, and Stephen Vogt loves versatility; it’s no mystery why Donovan is such an obvious trade candidate for Cleveland.