There’s been a steady hum of trade buzz around the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, and much of it has centered on Brendan Donovan - the kind of player every contender wants in their lineup.
He’s versatile, he gets on base, and he just posted a .287 average with a .775 OPS in 2025. That kind of production, especially from a guy who can move around the diamond, is gold in today’s game.
And while multiple teams have reportedly kicked the tires, the Seattle Mariners keep coming up as the most logical landing spot.
But Donovan might not be the only Cardinal with a one-way ticket to the Pacific Northwest.
According to Ken Rosenthal, there's a real possibility that Lars Nootbaar could be part of the package heading to Seattle alongside Donovan. Rosenthal floated the idea on the Foul Territory podcast, noting that the Mariners remain a strong fit for Donovan - and that a deal involving both players isn’t out of the question.
For Nootbaar, it’s been a winding road since he burst onto the scene during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. That electric energy and charisma made him a fan favorite, but injuries have consistently derailed his momentum.
In 2025, he played in a career-high 135 games - a positive step - but the production didn’t quite match the playing time. He finished the year hitting .234 with a .686 OPS, numbers that fell short of the breakout many had hoped for.
Part of the story, though, came into focus after the season. Nootbaar was dealing with Haglund’s deformity - a painful bone growth near the Achilles tendon that can sap a player’s speed and explosiveness.
He underwent surgery in October to correct the issue, but that timeline clouds his availability for Opening Day in 2026. It also introduces uncertainty for any team considering him as a trade target.
At last year’s deadline, there was real interest in Nootbaar, but the injury may have cooled the market - at least temporarily.
Interestingly, he was left off a December list of the top 40 trade candidates compiled by Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan - a list that included five other Cardinals. Still, with Nootbaar under team control through 2027, there’s a strategic window here for St.
Louis. If a contender like Seattle believes he’s ready to turn a corner, the Cardinals could move him now and maximize the return.
And here’s the thing: the tools are still there. Nootbaar’s Statcast profile remains intriguing - he’s hitting the ball hard, not chasing out of the zone, and showing the kind of underlying metrics that suggest a breakout is still possible. That’s exactly the type of upside a contending team might be willing to bet on, especially if they believe their player development staff can help him stay healthy and unlock the next level.
From the Cardinals’ perspective, packaging Donovan and Nootbaar together could open the door to a significant return - particularly in the form of young pitching. Seattle’s farm system is deep on the mound, and St. Louis, now leaning into a rebuild, could use the injection of arms.
At the same time, this kind of deal might be a win-win. The Mariners would get two versatile, high-upside players who can contribute immediately, while the Cardinals would continue reshaping their roster with an eye toward the future. And for fans who’ve grown frustrated watching Nootbaar battle through injuries and inconsistency, a fresh start might be the best path forward - for him and the team.
So keep an eye on this one. If the Mariners are serious about bolstering their roster for a playoff push, and the Cardinals are ready to cash in on controllable talent, a Donovan-Nootbaar package could be one of the offseason’s more compelling moves.