The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in a strange organizational limbo. On one hand, they appear poised for a rebuild—especially with the front office in transition. On the other, the team is currently winning, complicating their approach to the trade deadline. If the Cardinals choose to buy and still fall short of a deep postseason run, the effort might feel wasted. But if they sell while the team is playing well, they risk alienating a passionate fan base.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer recently stirred conversation by floating the idea that the Cardinals could consider trading All-Star utility player. While Rymer acknowledged that a trade is unlikely, he pointed out that top stars name has surfaced in trade rumors before.
“Though there has been nothing recently, top star has occasionally popped up in trade rumors in the past,” Rymer wrote. “Now would arguably be a good time to make him available, and not just because this is probably as high as his value is going to go.”
He added that with Chaim Bloom expected to take over the front office from John Mozeliak after 2025, the team may be wise to jump-start a transition—especially if their playoff hopes start to fade. Rymer also noted the Cardinals’ mediocre farm system, suggesting that moving Donovan could be a strategic way to improve it.
While a Donovan trade would be a headline-grabbing decision, Rymer emphasized that it remains a long shot. However, if another team is willing to make an aggressive offer, the Cardinals might listen. Donovan is likely near his peak value, and holding onto him could mean missing the chance to capitalize. Still, the smart money is on St. Louis keeping him—for now. But in baseball, surprises are never off the table.