The Seattle Mariners have spent much of the offseason searching for answers at second and third base, and for weeks one name seemed to hover over every rumor: Brendan Donovan. The St. Louis Cardinals infielder checked every boxâcontact hitter, defensive versatility, left-handed balance, and postseason credibility. On paper, he looked like the solution.
Yet here we are. No trade. No movement. Just silence.
And maybe that silence is telling Seattle exactly what it needs to hear.
Donovan, now 29, is a proven big leaguer. Across four MLB seasons, he owns a .282 career batting average with 40 home runs and 202 RBIs. In 2025, he hit .287 with 10 homers and 50 RBIs while continuing to move seamlessly around the infield and outfield. He even became the first National League winner of the Utility Player Gold Glove as a rookie. For a Mariners lineup that leans heavily on power and strikeouts, Donovanâs contact-first approach would be a natural complement.
But trades donât happen on paperâthey happen on price.
Thatâs where the problem lies. The Cardinals and Mariners donât see Donovan through the same lens. St. Louis, now under new general manager Chaim Bloom, reportedly wants a starting pitcher in return. Seattle, meanwhile, has spent years carefully building one of the deepest, most cost-controlled rotations in baseball. Asking for an arm isnât just aggressiveâit cuts directly into the Marinersâ organizational identity.
At some point, âfitâ stops mattering if the cost threatens the foundation.
Thereâs also timing. The Cardinals are not expected to contend in 2026. Theyâre in a transitional phase, stockpiling flexibility and future value. Donovan is useful to them now, but by July, his leverage drops. Heâll be closer to the end of his contract, and St. Louis will have clearer incentives to move him for less than an impact pitcher.
For Seattle, that reality changes the calculus. This rosterâfeaturing a strong core of hitters and a homegrown rotationâdoes not need to panic-buy in January or February. The Mariners can afford to get to the All-Star break, evaluate their internal options, and reassess when the market is softer and desperation tilts in their favor.
That patience matters even more when you consider whoâs waiting in the wings.
Colt Emerson, Seattleâs top prospect, is viewed internally as a potential star. A natural shortstop, heâs also capable of handling second or third base. Creating a clear path for Emerson may end up being a hidden benefit of not forcing a Donovan trade now. If Emerson lives up to the hype, the need for an external infielder could vanish entirelyâor at least look very different by midsummer.
This isnât about dismissing Donovanâs value. Itâs about recognizing that overpaying for a good player can be worse than waiting for a better opportunity. Bloom has already shown heâs willing to play a long, strategic game in St. Louis. Seattle doesnât need to be the team that blinks first.
Sometimes the smartest move isnât the trade you makeâitâs the one you donât.
If July arrives and the Cardinalsâ stance softens, the Mariners can re-enter talks from a position of strength. And if Emerson or another internal option emerges, Seattle may look back on this quiet stalemate and realize it wasnât a missed opportunity at all.
It was restraint.
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