Brendan Donovan commerce: Mariners near buying Cardinals UTL in three-team commerce

The Seattle Mariners are near buying All-Star infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team commerce that additionally includes the Tampa Bay Rays, ESPN reviews. Not one of the concerned golf equipment has but introduced the commerce. 

Donovan, who’s going into his age-29 season in 2026, is coming off his first profession All-Star choice this previous season. His finest place is second base, and he may also man first, third, and left, and canopy shortstop in restricted doses. On the plate, Donovan put up an OPS+ of 119 this previous season, and that determine is true in keeping with his profession mark of 117 throughout components of 4 MLB campaigns. Moreover, there’s trigger to consider he might have discovered a better stage with the bat in 2025. By the tip of Could, Donovan boasted a wOBA of .373 and backed it up with anticipated wOBA of .370. In June, although, an MRI on Donovan’s ailing left toe turned up a sprained capsule within the joint. Donovan toughed it out, however the damage cascaded all through his decrease half, tousled his swing mechanics, and sapped his manufacturing. The Mariners are little doubt hoping he is capable of rediscover and maintain that increased stage transferring ahead. 

Donovan is eligible for arbitration this winter, and he will not hit free company till after the 2027 season.

He’ll slot right into a lineup that features All-Star slugger Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena. The Mariners received the AL West in 2025 with a 90-72 file, three video games forward of the Houston Astros, earlier than shedding within the ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays.

From the Cardinals’ standpoint, the commerce of Donovan is in some ways the capstone on an offseason that is seen them commit absolutely to a rebuild beneath first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. Earlier within the winter, Bloom and the Cardinals in a pair of offers despatched right-hander Sonny Grey and first baseman/former catcher Willson Contreras to the Purple Sox after which offloaded veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Diamondbacks. In every deal, the Cardinals added younger pitching to a corporation that previous to Bloom’s takeover was starved for velocity and swing and miss. As effectively, possession in every of these three offers included vital money so as enhance the return. That was particularly the case in the Arenado swap. As for the Donovan commerce, it not solely provides younger expertise to an enhancing farm system but in addition absolutely clears the decks for prime prospect JJ Wetherholt in 2026. He is now the favourite to open the 2026 season because the Cardinals’ beginning second baseman. 

CBS Sports activities may have extra to come back on this story.