The St. Louis Cardinals appear to be heading into an offseason unlike any seen around Busch Stadium in a long, long time.
A franchise that has prided itself on stability, predictability, and a steady hand at the helm is now staring at a winter of volatility. Chaim Bloom will soon officially take the reins from John Mozeliak, and with him comes a new approach — one that’s far less sentimental and far more pragmatic.
Bloom doesn’t walk into a blank slate, of course. He inherits a roster dotted with young talent, a pitching staff that needs major renovation, and a farm system still sorting itself out.
But what’s different this time is the organizational mood: the Cardinals know they’re not one or two free-agent signings away from contention.
This isn’t about patchwork. It’s about turning the page, and that means the front office could be knee-deep in trade conversations all winter. For a fan base accustomed to small tweaks, this could be the most dramatic offseason in decades.
And the Los Angeles Dodgers should take advantage by making a pitch for Brendan Donovan. A pair of prospects, pitcher Jackson Ferris and outfielder Eduardo Quintero, could make it happen.
Brendan Donovan’s Production & Versatility Would Fit Perfectly With the Dodgers
The 28-year-old Donovan has done nothing but hit since arriving in St. Louis. A career .282 hitter with a .361 OBP and the kind of defensive versatility that would make a Swiss Army knife jealous, Donovan has established himself as one of the most reliable players in the Cardinals’ lineup. He’s a culture guy, a grinder, a spark plug. He’s also quietly become one of their best trade chips.
The argument against moving Donovan is simple: he’s exactly the kind of player you want around when a rebuild ends. He can play virtually every position on the diamond, he makes pitchers work, and he’s under team control through 2027. Leaders like that don’t grow on trees. Bloom could decide he’s too valuable to part with — a bridge to the next contending core.
But here’s the rub: Donovan’s trade stock is likely as high as it will ever be. He’s not a slugger, and while his skill set is steady, it’s not the type that typically ages into star-level production when the player enters his 30s. By the time the Cardinals’ rebuild truly bears fruit — and that could take until 2027 or 2028 — Donovan will be well into his unrestricted free-agent years.
If St. Louis wants to maximize value, now is the time. And it’s not as if the Cardinals are without internal options.
JJ Wetherholt is on track to make his MLB debut next season, Thomas Saggese impressed late in 2025, and Jesús Báez is viewed as a future infield cornerstone. The pipeline is healthy enough that Donovan could be dealt without leaving a gaping hole.
Dodgers Have Pieces to Make Dealing Brendan Donovan Worthwhile for St. Louis
If there’s a perfect trade partner, it might be the Dodgers.
Look at the moving pieces: their current second baseman, Miguel Rojas, and left fielder, Michael Conforto, both will be free agents this winter. There’s also a club option decision on Max Muncy, who manned third base in 2025. That’s three potential holes, and Donovan can cover all of them. He’s a dream fit for their “positionless baseball” philosophy, the kind of plug-and-play piece they’ve coveted for years.
The Dodgers also have the assets to make a deal work. A realistic return could feature Ferris, a 21-year-old left-hander who’s already drawing buzz as one of the system’s most intriguing arms. A second-round pick by the Cubs in 2022 before arriving in the Dodgers’ organization, Ferris has been praised for his polish and his high-spin fastball/curveball combination.
At Double-A, he’s shown enough that some insiders have speculated he could even reach the majors sooner than expected. For the Cardinals, Ferris would represent a controllable, high-upside piece to slot into a rotation that badly needs an injection of youth.
Pair him with Quintero, a High-A outfielder recently named the Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Quintero just turned 20 on September 16, but he’s already showing the power-speed combo scouts dream about. He hit .296 with 19 home runs and 47 stolen bases this season, and while Los Angeles loves him, they also have six outfielders ranked among their top 10 prospects. That kind of depth makes Quintero movable in the right deal.
For the Cardinals, this would be exactly the type of forward-thinking trade Bloom was hired to make. Donovan’s value is maximized now. In Ferris, they’d acquire a lefty with real upside on the doorstep of the Major Leagues. In Quintero, they’d land a potential everyday outfielder who could be part of the next contending core.
It won’t be popular in St. Louis — few trades involving a fan favorite ever are. But if the Cardinals are truly rebuilding, this is the kind of tough, pragmatic decision that accelerates the process.
So while the sight of Brendan Donovan in Dodger blue might sting, the long-term payoff for the Cardinals could be worth it. And as St. Louis embarks on its most unpredictable winter in decades, don’t be surprised if this type of bold move is exactly what ushers in the next era of Cardinals baseball.
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