The MLB offseason has already seen a number of impactful free agent signings and crafty trades. The St. Louis Cardinals added to the list when they dealt All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners on Monday in a three-team trade that also included the Tampa Bay Rays.
St. Louis president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom was honest about why the team ultimately decided to trade Donovan to Seattle.
“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,” Bloom said in a news release. “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. We wish him and his wonderful family well.”
Donovan enjoyed a solid 2025 season that saw him mash 10 home runs, record 50 RBIs, and earn a .775 OPS across 118 games. The Cardinals’ decision to part ways with the 29-year-old came amidst an offseason that also saw them trade starting pitcher Sonny Gray and infielder Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox, and third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“It’s tough to imagine a better fit for our current team than Brendan,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “His combination of offensive skill, defensive versatility, consistency in performance, baseball instincts, and quality of character line up with what we value most.”
It remains to be seen how the Cardinals and Mariners will perform in 2026, but it is clear that the two franchises are moving in different directions ahead of the new campaign.
