Jun 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrates in the dugout after he scores during the second inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cardinals Playing Hardball In Brendan Donovan Talks

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Jan 6, 2026 1:40 PM ET

The rumor mill continues to spin and spin and spin when it comes to the St. Louis Cardinals.

When it specifically comes to All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan, the teams that have popped up the most in rumors over the last couple of weeks have been the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, and the Boston Red Sox. The Athletic's Katie Woo reported that the Mariners and Giants emerged as "front-runners" for Donovan on Dec. 13, but nothing publicly happened afterward. There have surely been trade talks behind the scenes, but no deal. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted on Monday that the Cardinals remain engaged with the Red Sox for Donovan.

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

One team that hasn't gotten a lot of buzz lately is the Kansas City Royals. Goold reported back in early December that the Royals, Giants, and Mariners were the three most consistent teams in on Donovan. Rumors have continued about the Giants and Mariners, but the Royals seemingly have been forgotten. While this is the case, MLB.com's Anne Rogers gave a brief update on Kansas City and noted that the current asking price for Donovan is too high for them.

Will a deal get done involving Brendan Donovan?

David Frerker-Imagn Images

"The Royals would like to add one more bat, and a trade remains the best path to do so," Rogers wrote. "But the likelihood of that remains to be seen. There is interest in Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, but the asking price -- starting pitcher Cole Ragans -- is simply too high for the Royals, and talks have stalled.

"There have been extensive talks with the Cardinals about utility player Brendan Donovan, but the asking price is high, too, and there are other teams interested. The Royals would be willing to slightly overpay for Donovan, who comes with two years of contractual control. But they won’t meet the Cardinals’ ask -- several top prospects and players with years of control.

This is exactly what the Cardinals should be doing. St. Louis has a high asking price because Donovan is young and cost-controlled, plus he can give a team elite play pretty much anywhere on the diamond. If the asking price drops, maybe the Royals will be a team to watch. Regardless, there is interest out there from numerous teams. Clearly, he is a popular guy on the trade block right now. If not, he wouldn't get talked about seemingly every single day. Now, we continue to wait and see how the market develops, but the Cardinals' asking price should be high. If it's not met, there's nothing wrong with running it back with him in 2026.

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

More must-reads: