The St. Louis Cardinals are deep into a transformative offseason - and it's not just a retooling.
It's a full-on reset. With Chaim Bloom now steering the ship in baseball operations, the Cardinals are clearly turning the page on their veteran core.
Nolan Arenado is already in Arizona, and the roster is starting to look a lot younger - and a lot cheaper. But there’s still one domino left to fall: Brendan Donovan.
Donovan’s name has been swirling in trade rumors all winter, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a versatile, high-contact hitter with two more years of team control, and he plays quality defense.
That’s a rare package, especially for contenders looking to plug a hole at second base. Two of the most interested teams?
The Boston Red Sox and the San Francisco Giants - both in need of a steady hand in the middle infield, and both reportedly in the mix.
Now, the Cardinals have already done business with Boston twice this offseason. Bloom, who once ran the Red Sox, has dipped into familiar waters, dealing with Craig Breslow’s front office on moves involving Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.
There’s logic in targeting a system you helped build - Bloom knows Boston’s pipeline well. But at some point, St.
Louis needs to look beyond the Red Sox farm and explore other prospect-rich options.
That’s where the Giants come in. San Francisco has already committed big money to their infield - Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman are locked in with nine-figure deals.
But second base remains a weak spot. Donovan wouldn’t just fill that hole; he’d elevate the entire infield unit.
He’s not a flashy name, but he’s the kind of player who adds value every day - solid glove, contact bat, and a grinder’s mentality. And in a ballpark where power isn’t king, his skill set fits like a glove.
Boston, meanwhile, has their own reasons to be interested. With Kristian Campbell struggling last season, Donovan could be a reliable stopgap or even a long-term answer.
His approach at the plate - patient, smart, and consistent - would play well in Fenway. And with his affordability and versatility, he’s exactly the kind of player who helps bridge the gap between a team’s current roster and its next wave of talent.
What makes Donovan so valuable is that blend of production and control. He’s not just a rental - he’s a cost-effective, everyday contributor who’s likely to outperform his contract. For a team eyeing October, that’s gold.
But Donovan might not be the only Cardinal on the move. Alec Burleson is another name to watch.
He’s coming off a Silver Slugger season as a utility player and still has years of team control - he’s not a free agent until 2029. But at 27, he doesn’t quite align with the Cardinals’ new timeline.
His bat is legit, and his positional flexibility adds even more value. If St.
Louis is serious about stockpiling young talent, Burleson could bring back a strong return.
The urgency is real. The rest of the NL Central isn’t waiting around.
The Brewers, Cubs, and Reds all made the postseason last year, and the Pirates - led by reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes - are on the rise. St.
Louis, meanwhile, is in transition. That’s why these next few weeks before spring training matter so much.
Moving Donovan and Burleson could complete the Cardinals’ offseason reset and set them up for a quicker rebound than people expect.
Chaim Bloom’s track record includes one of the most lopsided trades of the last decade - the Chris Archer deal that brought Tyler Glasnow to Tampa Bay and helped fuel a World Series run. If he can replicate even a fraction of that magic in St. Louis, this could be a pivotal offseason in the franchise’s long, storied history.
As for Donovan’s destination, the Giants make a ton of sense. The NL West is an arms race, and with the Dodgers continuing to stack stars, the rest of the division has no choice but to respond.
San Francisco’s already made a splash with the Devers trade. Adding Donovan would be another smart, stabilizing move - and one that could pay dividends all season long.
Bottom line: the Cardinals are tearing it down, but they’re doing it with intent. If they play their cards right, this fire sale could lay the foundation for something much bigger in the years to come.