Brendan Donovan trade: Mariners acquire Cardinals All ...
Donovan won't hit free agency until after the 2027 season
www.cbssports.comHere’s the latest I can confirm based on recent reporting:
- There have been ongoing trade discussions involving Brendan Donovan, with several outlets noting that he’s valued as a versatile, affordable infielder/outfielder and one of the Cardinals’ top trade assets as they rebuild. However, there have been mixed signals about whether a deal will actually materialize before or during spring training, with some reporting suggesting the Cardinals’ asking price could be a barrier at times.[2][5]
- A concrete three-team trade that would move Donovan to the Mariners was reported in early February 2026, with details including a return package that included Mariners prospect Tai Peete and other pieces, and with related moves involving the Rays and Cardinals. This is the clearest public confirmation of Donovan changing teams, though trade discussions had circulated for months prior.[3][6]
- Earlier in the winter, there were rumors linking Donovan to multiple interested teams (Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, etc.), and analysts suggested he could fetch a substantial return given his All-Star season and positional flexibility, but not all of these rumors come to fruition.[4][5]
- If you’re specifically looking for the most recent definitive trade, the Mariners-Cardinals-Rays three-team swap in February 2026 is the key event to cite, with Donovan moving to Seattle and Jurrangelo Cijntje heading to St. Louis as part of the deal.[3]
Would you like a quick, side-by-side summary of Donovan’s trade status by source with dates, or a short timeline of the major reported milestones this off-season? I can also pull up the exact terms of the February 2026 trade and what the Cardinals received, if you’d like.
Citations:
- Discussion of Donovan as a top trade asset and possible roadblocks in late January 2026 reporting.[2]
- Confirmation of the February 2026 three-team trade involving Donovan to the Mariners.[3]
- Ongoing rumors and interest from multiple teams in late 2025 ( Dodgers, Giants, etc.).[5][4]