The Boston Red Sox wasted no time diving into the offseason, swinging a major trade to land veteran right-hander Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals.
But if the buzz around league insiders is any indication, that deal might just be the beginning of a broader conversation between Boston and St. Louis.
According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan, the Red Sox are firmly in the mix for Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan - a name quickly gaining traction across the league as one of the winter’s most intriguing trade chips. Ranked as the 11th most likely player to be dealt this offseason, Donovan is drawing interest from several contenders, including the Dodgers, Yankees, Giants, and Mariners. But it’s Boston that’s emerging as a potential landing spot with real intrigue.
Now, the Red Sox haven’t been heavily linked to Donovan just yet, but the fit is worth exploring. The 28-year-old brings a rare blend of versatility and contact skill, capable of playing second base, third base, and left field - all areas where Boston currently has question marks. And with two years of team control left, he’s not just a short-term rental; he’s a chess piece with value for a team trying to retool on the fly.
The positional picture in Boston is still in flux. If the Red Sox manage to bring back Alex Bregman, third base is off the table.
Then there’s Kristian Campbell, who showed flashes but struggled defensively at second base during his first taste of the majors. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has already hinted that Campbell might be better suited for the outfield - which, of course, is already a crowded space.
That’s where Donovan’s flexibility becomes a real asset. He’s not a plug-and-play slugger, but he’s the kind of player who makes a manager’s job easier. Alex Cora would have the option to move him around the diamond depending on matchups, injuries, or lineup needs - the type of roster fluidity that becomes invaluable over a 162-game grind.
And while Donovan doesn’t bring the kind of raw power Boston might be targeting this winter - especially from the right side - he does offer something the Sox lineup sorely lacked last season: offensive consistency. In 2025, Donovan slashed .287/.353/.422 with a .775 OPS across 118 games.
He added 32 doubles, 10 homers, and 50 RBIs while striking out just 67 times and walking 42. His strikeout rate sits in the 97th percentile, and his whiff rate is in the 95th - elite numbers for a contact hitter in today’s swing-and-miss era.
He’s not going to hit 30 bombs - in fact, he’s never topped 14 in a season - and most of his power is gap-to-gap. But that kind of bat plays, especially in a lineup that struggled with runners in scoring position and lacked a steady presence in the middle innings. Donovan’s ability to put the ball in play and extend at-bats could go a long way in balancing a Red Sox offense that was too hot-and-cold last year.
There’s also the front office connection worth noting. With former Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom now running the show in St.
Louis following John Mozeliak’s retirement, the lines of communication between the two clubs are wide open. Bloom knows Boston’s roster inside and out - both the big-league squad and the farm system - and that familiarity could grease the wheels for another deal.
Of course, if Boston is still chasing a big bat - particularly a right-handed corner infielder with pop - Donovan probably isn’t Plan A. But he might be Plan B with upside.
He won’t solve all of Boston’s offensive woes on his own, but he could be a key piece in a larger puzzle. His glove, his approach at the plate, and his ability to handle multiple roles make him the kind of player that winning teams find a way to use.
If the Red Sox want to build a more balanced, resilient roster heading into 2026, circling back to St. Louis for Brendan Donovan might be more than just an interesting rumor - it might be the next smart move.