Willson Contreras (Lou Countryman photo)
lou.countryman@me.com
You’ll need to buy a scorecard at Busch Stadium this year to know who’s who for the St. Louis Cardinals.
New St. Louis President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom began a significant sell-off in the offseason.
The Cardinals dealt infielder-outfielder Brendan Donovan, along with high-salaried veterans in third baseman Nolan Arenado, pitcher Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras.
All four players have been an All-Star at one time or another.
“Sometimes the long term might conflict with the short term,” Bloom said. “When those two run in the opposite direction, we’re going to choose the long term because that’s where this organization needs to be. We’re trying to get back to a certain place and stay there. History has shown the way the Cardinals always do that is with our young talent core.”
With these trades, the Cardinals have improved the organizational pitching reserves, both in terms of quantity and quality.
Here a look at who was moved and who the Cardinals got in return.
Donovan
Brendan Donovan is coming off a season in which he hit .287 with 10 home runs and 32 doubles over 118 games.
Despite his production and versatility, the Cardinals chose to move him while his value was at its highest.
Trade details
Cardinals acquire: RHP Jurrangelo Cijntje (MLB’s No. 91 prospect, MLB Pipeline); OF Tai Peete (was Mariners’ No. 11 prospect, now Cardinals’ No. 15); OF Colton Ledbetter (was Rays’ No. 24 prospect); Competitive Balance Round B picks (No. 68 overall, from Mariners; No. 72 overall, from Rays)
Mariners acquire: INF/OF Donovan
Rays acquire: 3B Ben Williamson.
A first time All-Star, Donovan, 29, has been primarily a second baseman over his four-year career (225 games), but he also has experience at first base (30 games), third base (46), shortstop (14), left field (163) and right field (30). In 2022, he was the first rookie in Cardinals history to win a Gold Glove Award.
“We are pleased that, because of this deal, we will add five more promising young players to the talent pipeline that has always fueled this organization’s sustained success,” said Bloom, whose franchise owns picks Nos. 13, 32, 50, 68, 72 and 86 early in July’s MLB Draft. “We believe we’ve added exciting athleticism and upside on both sides of the ball, with more to come in this summer’s draft.
“All of us here are so grateful for Brendan’s contributions to the Cardinals and to our community, which will last well beyond his time here. He is first-class as both a player and a person, and that combination is rare.”
The Mariners also were happy with the deal. The price was right for the team.
Donovan avoided salary arbitration in the offseason by agreeing to a 2026 deal worth $5.8 million. He will remain under club contractual control for the next two seasons.
“It’s tough to imagine a better fit for our current team than Brendan,” Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “His combination of offensive skill, defensive versatility, consistency in performance, baseball instincts and quality of character line up with what we value most.”
Arenado
The Cardinals moved Nolan Arenado, 34, to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Trade details
Cardinals acquire: Right-handed pitcher, Jack Martinez, who is 22.
Diamondbacks acquire: Arenado and $31 million.
Arenado agreed to waive his no-trade clause to make the deal possible.
“To us and to Nolan the situation really pointed to a fresh start,” Bloom said. “A fresh start for him and moving forward for us … When you have a situation like this, where Nolan also is a party at the table, with full control over where he goes, you’re really just looking for the match first and foremost. At the same time my job is to represent the Cardinals and make sure the deal is something we feel is in our interest and we can justify.
“We didn’t make any secret of that fact that we were looking for a match in a trade that was something that fit Nolan as well.”
St. Louis acquired Arenado in 2021, just two years after he signed the long-term deal with Colorado, which drafted him out of high school in the second round in 2009.
Arenado’s first three years in St. Louis were productive. He finished third in the MVP voting in 2022 when he hit .293 with 30 home runs. He also won his 10th Gold Glove.
However, in his last two years, Arenado battled injuries. Last year, he only played in 107 games. He hit 12 home runs and averaged .237. He drove in 53 runs.
Gray
The Cardinals dealt right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox last November.
Trade details
Cardinals acquire: Young right-hander Richard Fitts as well as top prospect Brandon Clarke. Clarke was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Red Sox organization by MLB Pipeline.
Red Sox acquire: Gray and $20 million.
Gray waived his no-trade clause to make the trade happen.
It was a necessary move, Bloom said.
“We want to make sure we have rotation depth,” said Bloom. “So it’s very nice to get talent back that fits that. But we also would never want to walk by talent that, even though it’s a little further away, has a chance to really impact us in the long term. It’s nice we were able to get some of both in this deal.”
Gray signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Cardinals in November 2023.
A 13-year veteran of the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and Cardinals, Gray is now 36 years old. He’s gone 125-102 for his career, earning three All-Star appearances.
He finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2023 with the Twins.
This past season, Gray went 14-8 for St. Louis with a 4.28 ERA. He’s made 28 starts or more in each of the last three seasons.
The Cardinals gave the Red Sox $20 million in the deal.
“We are pleased to add these two talented young pitchers to our organization,” Bloom said. “Richard Fitts has already begun his big league career, and with his power stuff and willingness to attack the strike zone, he has the ability to start games at the highest level for many years. Brandon Clarke is an exciting left-handed prospect whose ceiling rivals that of any pitcher in the minor leagues. Both have the potential to be part of our growing core for a long time, and we are happy to welcome them to the Cardinals.”
Contreras
The Cardinals traded Willson Contreras to the Red Sox.
Trade details
Cardinals acquire: Three right-handed pitching prospects, led by 26-year-old Hunter Dobbins. Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita.
Red Sox acquire: Contreras and $8 million.
Contreras waived his no-trade clause to make the trade possible.
“This game is a business, but the relationships are real. I’m grateful to the Cardinals organization for the opportunity to wear this uniform,” Contreras wrote on his Instagram account. “I’m proud of the time I spent in St. Louis and thankful for the people who made it meaningful. I’ll carry that with me as I move forward.”
“This wasn’t something where he was looking to leave, and I think he felt that way up until the deal. This wasn’t something that he sought,” Bloom said of the catcher-turned-first baseman. “In that (season-ending) conversation he did say if, in the course of me doing my job, something comes to us that we thought was in the best interest of the Cardinals, to take it to him and he’d make a decision.
“At the end of the day, he chose to do it, and he was a total pro.”
Contreras, 33, came to St. Louis as a free agent. He signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal in December 2022.
Contreras was a three-time All-Star. He also was a member of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series championship team.
In his three seasons in St. Louis, Contreras averaged .261.
“With this trade, we continue to bring young talent to the Cardinals to help us both in 2026 and for years to come,” Bloom said.