The San Francisco Giants came into last season with high hopes, but by the time the dust settled, they were on the outside looking in when the postseason began. Now, with spring training just around the corner and the free agent market largely picked over, the Giants are shifting gears and going full throttle on the trade front - and one name that keeps popping up is Brendan Donovan.
Donovan, the versatile infielder from the St. Louis Cardinals, has become one of the more intriguing trade chips on the market.
The Cardinals, in the midst of reshaping their roster and trimming payroll, appear open to moving players approaching 30 - and Donovan fits that mold. For San Francisco, the fit is obvious.
They need a lefty bat who can handle right-handed pitching, and Donovan checks that box in bold ink.
According to league insiders, a deal between the Giants and Cardinals is more a matter of “when” than “if.” The potential move makes plenty of sense for both clubs.
The Giants are in search of a second baseman who can provide consistent production against righties, and Donovan brings a career .812 OPS against them. That kind of split plays well in a platoon, especially when paired with someone like Tyler Fitzgerald, who posted an .841 OPS against lefties last season.
Together, that’s a strong keystone combo - the kind of smart, matchup-based approach that can quietly win you ballgames over a 162-game grind.
From the Cardinals’ side, trading Donovan would open the door for their younger talent to step in. Thomas Saggese, who held his own during his rookie campaign in 2025, is expected to take on a larger role this season. He’s shown flashes of a well-rounded offensive game, and with more consistent playing time, the Cardinals believe he can take another leap forward.
And then there’s JJ Wetherholt, the organization’s top prospect and the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. After finishing last season in Triple-A Memphis, Wetherholt looks ready for his MLB debut. Moving Donovan now would clear the runway for Wetherholt to take off - and potentially give the Cardinals a dynamic infield duo of the future.
While the Giants haven’t made a major splash in free agency, that doesn’t mean they’ve been idle. In fact, they’ve been anything but.
According to reports, San Francisco made a serious push to land shortstop CJ Abrams from the Washington Nationals. The Giants were reportedly willing to include some of their top prospects - including teenage shortstop Josuar Gonzalez - in a package to try and pry Abrams loose.
The talks didn’t lead to a deal, but the level of aggressiveness from the Giants’ front office tells you everything you need to know about their mindset. With just a couple of weeks left before players report to camp, they’re not sitting back and waiting for the market to come to them. They’re going after what they need.
Abrams, for his part, is coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he posted a 3.4 bWAR over 144 games, hit 19 home runs, swiped 31 bags, and put up a 111 OPS+. At just 25 years old and entering his first year of arbitration with a $4.2 million salary, he’s the kind of player teams build around - which helps explain why the Nationals didn’t bite, even with names like Carson Whisenhunt, Jacob Bresnahan, Bo Davidson, and Jhonny Level reportedly floated in talks.
So where does that leave the Giants? Still searching - but not standing still.
With the free agent pool thinning and the clock ticking toward spring training, San Francisco is clearly ramping up its efforts to upgrade the roster. Brendan Donovan might not be the blockbuster name fans dream about, but he could be exactly the kind of under-the-radar addition that pays dividends all season long.
In a division that’s only getting tougher, the Giants know they can’t afford to miss again. And if they can lock in a deal for Donovan - or another impact bat - they might just find themselves right back in the thick of the postseason race.