The San Francisco Giants were predicted as the team that will trade for Freddy Peralta.

Spring training is just around the corner for the San Francisco Giants and the rest of MLB. First-year manager Tony Vitello has a roster that many consider not complete. Aside from another starting pitcher, the Giants could use a second baseman.

All free agent options are off the table, which leaves a trade the most likely way for San Francisco to fill that need. There are some options, including Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Brandan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Marte is reportedly all but off the table by the Diamondbacks in terms of being traded before spring training. That can change with a phone call if a team blows away Arizona. As far as Donovan goes, you get the feeling that he’s likely going to be moved at some point. Bradford Doolittle of ESPN thinks it will be before spring training with the Giants as the landing spot.

San Francisco Giants Predicted to Acquire Brendan Donovan

One thing has been clear this winter: the St. Louis Cardinals are open for business. Chaim Bloom has traded away some key players. First, he dealt pitcher Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, before later sending Wilsson Contreras there. There is likely to be more players moved. Donovan has been linked to a lot of teams.

“The Giants need a second baseman, and the Cardinals are trading any hitter within sniffing distance of age 30. It’s a perfect match, albeit less enthralling than when the Cardinals and Giants swapped Rogers Hornsby and Frankie Frisch,” Doolittle wrote.

“The Giants are even a good team to paper over Donovan’s career platoon weakness against lefties. You pair his career .812 OPS against righties with Tyler Fitzgerald’s .841 OPS against lefties, and you’ve got a strong keystone combination. The Cardinals could then turn the position over to Thomas Saggese and clear a little runway for JJ Wetherholt’s imminent arrival.”

As far as San Francisco goes, this is a move that would fill a huge need they have. They have been a team that has been linked to Donovan nearly all winter.

Giants Trading for Brendan Donovan Would Make San Francisco Better

As Doolittle wrote, the Giants are a good team on paper. They are not as good as the Los Angeles Dodgers, but no team is. In terms of competing in the National League West, they would be neck-and-neck with the San Diego Padres. You could even throw the Diamondbacks into the conversation.

Donovan is coming off one of his better seasons for the Cardinals. He slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, and he drove in 50 in 118 games. The 29-year-old is Bloom’s biggest trade chip remaining, and the Giants feel like the landing spot.

Since he began dealing earlier this offseason, Bloom has been looking for prospects in return. That is what Boston was able to supply him with. San Francisco could do the same, whether it’s with a pitcher or a position player. If the Giants are serious about contending with the Dodgers in the NL West, landing Donovan is a path to success in 2026.

Scott Roche Scott Roche covers college football, NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com and has three decades of sports writing, covering everything from college to professional sports. More about Scott Roche