The Seattle Mariners landed Brendan Donovan this week in a deal that, at first glance, feels completely irrelevant to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Bo Bichette (11) hits an RBI single against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning during game three of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Dig a little deeper, however, and the trade quietly exposes how Toronto’s recent past may have altered its present options.
Donovan is more than a utility player, offering above-average production while covering nearly every position on the field.
That versatility made him a logical theoretical replacement after the Blue Jays lost Bo Bichette in free agency.
Yet Toronto never truly entered the conversation, and the reason may trace back to Bichette’s difficult recent season.
Donovan spent his entire career with St. Louis, a franchise now deep into a roster reset and aggressive asset liquidation.
The Cardinals continued that selloff by moving Donovan, joining several established veterans already sent elsewhere.
Seattle paid heavily, surrendering multiple prospects and competitive balance draft picks to complete the deal.
For a team coming off a deep postseason run, that price reflects urgency and belief they are close to a championship.
Still, the return raised eyebrows, especially when contextual comparisons began circulating immediately after the trade.
Jeff Passan highlighted how Donovan’s production over three seasons closely mirrors Bichette’s recent statistical output.
That comparison reframed Donovan as potentially undervalued rather than merely versatile.
The issue for Toronto is timing, because Bichette’s value perception had already shifted before free agency.
In 2024, injuries and performance dragged Bichette to the worst season of his career.
That down year distorted long-term evaluations, even if it proved to be an outlier.
Donovan, meanwhile, remained productive during his own shortened seasons and followed with a strong full campaign.
When negotiations began, those trends mattered more than reputations or career peaks.
If St. Louis anchored Donovan’s price to Bichette’s recent value, the cost was always going to escalate.
For the Mariners, the gamble makes sense given their competitive window and roster construction.
For Toronto, the takeaway is uncomfortable, because the market may have already moved beyond their comfort zone.
In the end, the Blue Jays did not lose Donovan to Seattle, but they may have lost leverage long before talks ever began.
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