Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrate with first base coach Packy Elkins (86)after hitting a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Brendan Donovan Prediction: Cardinals Trade Star To AL Contender

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Dec 23, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals have tried to compete for the last few seasons, but each time, they've fallen short of their ultimate goals. Under the new leadership of Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals have finally given in and opted to rebuild their roster.

They kicked off this rebuild by trading Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox. Clearing Gray's contract off the roster goes a long way for the team's payroll. Clearing his spot in the rotation also paves the way for young pitchers to come to the big leagues.

The Cardinals recently traded Willson Contreras to the Red Sox, too, clearing even more cap space.

But their moves seem to be far from finished. In fact, the Cardinals still have a handful of valuable players left on their roster to move.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Brendan Donovan is the top trade chip on the team right now. He's coming off a huge season, but he's on an expiring deal, so it would make sense for St. Louis to trade him. But where would the front office look to move him?

Mariners are the perfect landing spot for Brendan Donovan

Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Prediction: Cardinals trade Brendan Donovan to the Mariners

The Seattle Mariners are the perfect landing spot for Donovan for multiple reasons.

First of all, there's a clear hole at second base in Seattle after Jorge Polanco bolted for the New York Mets. Donovan could slot in as the team's everyday second baseman from his first day in Seattle.

Secondly, the Mariners have shown this level of aggressiveness in the past. They've been one of the most aggressive teams in baseball during the last year, which could continue with a huge deal for Donovan.

The Mariners also have plenty of prospects, specifically pitching prospects, to move in a deal that brings Donovan to Seattle. They could package one of their big league ready pitching prospects to send to St. Louis.

The Mariners make as much sense as any team in the league if the Cardinals decide to trade their fan favorite infielder. It's just a matter of time before more buzz comes from the situation.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: