Another infielder that could have been a fit for the Red Sox is off the board.
The Cardinals traded All-Star Brendan Donovan to the Mariners in a three-team trade that also included the Rays, as first reported by The Athletic. Seattle sent prospects Jurrangelo Cijntje and Tai Peete and a competitive balance round B pick (No. 68 overall) to the Cardinals while Tampa Bay sent outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter and a competitive balance pick (No. 72 overall) to St. Louis and took back infielder Ben Williamson from Seattle.
In 2025, Donovan hit a career-high .287 with 10 home runs with 50 RBIs. He was named an All-Star for the first time.
The 29-year-old would have been a good fit for the Red Sox given his versatility. Donovan can play second and third base, which are both question marks for Boston going into the 2026 season, but would have almost certainly slotted in at second base.
The Red Sox failed to re-sign Alex Bregman, who departed Boston after one season to sign a five-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. While Marcelo Mayer could play third, that would leave a hole at second base. The Sox have David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez and Nick Sogard as other internal options.
Boston also missed out on Eugenio Suárez, who signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. The Red Sox didn’t make an offer to the veteran third baseman.
The Red Sox had some interest in Donovan even after making two trades with the Cardinals, who are now run by former Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. Boston acquired Sonny Gray from St. Louis in November and Willson Contreras a month later.