The St. Louis Cardinals have had a fairly underwhelming start to the season, but Brendan Donovan, their versatile utility player, has been a bright spot.
Donovan is currently hitting .331/.386/.468 with three home runs and ten doubles, making a big impact at the plate despite dealing with some early-season injuries.
Even with his strong performance, some in the media believe St. Louis could consider trading him. Dylan Sanders of Houston Astros OnSi recently proposed that the Astros pursue a major trade for Donovan.
“This would be a significant move, as the Cardinals would demand a strong return, but Donovan might be the ideal addition to complete this lineup,” Sanders wrote. “He’s leading the NL in hits with 46 and is slashing .331/.386/.468. His performance has taken a leap this year, and he was already a reliable contributor. Perhaps most crucially, he’d provide the Astros with a much-needed second left-handed bat to face right-handed pitching, which he excels against.”
From Houston’s perspective, acquiring Donovan would be a smart move—he’s a consistent, high-average hitter who could bolster their offense.
However, for the Cardinals, trading Donovan makes little sense. He’s under team control for several more years, and the team hasn’t officially decided to sell at the deadline. Players like Erick Fedde or Ryan Helsley are more likely trade candidates. Donovan is exactly the type of player the Cardinals should be building around, not one to move hastily in a deadline deal.
