Sep 12, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second base Brendan Donovan (33) gets a base hit against the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Cardinals Star Brendan Donovan Has Unexpected Suitor

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Nov 19, 2025 2:26 PM ET

Will Brendan Donovan get traded this offseason by the St. Louis Cardinals?

He won't be a free agent until 2028 and is coming off an All-Star campaign for St. Louis. He stands out for two reasons on the block. First, he can play all over the field. So, realistically, any team looking for help in the outfield or in the infield could use him. Second, he doesn't have a no-trade clause attached so St. Louis can do whatever it wants.

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Unsurprisingly, teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have been linked to Donovan. But, the team that continues to be linked to him that really is a surprise is the Kansas City Royals, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Brendan Donovan is the guy to watch

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"The Kansas City Royals are interested in Brendan Donovan, per multiple sources," Goold wrote. "And JJ Picollo, who declined to name specific targets of his interest, told a few of us at the GM Meetings that he's willing to discuss his major-league-ready starters in deals.

"That sure seems to set the price for what the Cardinals could get in return for Donovan. The interested team is getting two years of control for an established, everyday player who frees them up for other pursuits because of his versatility. The Cardinals want to add a starter, want to add an upside starter with control, and that is where these conversations are going to go, not just with KC but with other interested teams, too."

This isn't the first time that Goold has reported that the Royals are interested in Donovan. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand also reported the Royals as a fit for Donovan.

The Royals weren't much better than the Cardinals in 2025. They went 82-80 in 2025 in comparison to the Cardinals who finished the season 78-84. The Cardinals won 83 games in 2024, and yet the vibe around the organization has been odd over the last year.

Kansas City is a small-market team, like the Cardinals, and yet they were able to ink Bobby Witt Jr. to a $288 million deal and now are reportedly interested in getting aggressive this offseason. If the Cardinals were to trade Donovan to the Royals, it would arguably be a bad look because of this. Kansas City had just four more wins than St. Louis in 2025 and yet that is enough to warrant looking for big moves. That's how the Cardinals should be.

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

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