The Los Angeles Dodgers are widely known to be among the “widespread interest” in acquiring St. Louis Cardinals All-Star utility player Brendan Donovan. Given the Cardinals’ mandate under new President Chaim Bloom to maximize the return for cost-controlled assets, the Dodgers’ “perfect offer” would focus on leveraging their surplus of young pitching—a commodity the Cardinals desperately need—combined with a high-floor position player.
Donovan, 28, is a Gold Glove-caliber defender who can play Second Base, Third Base, Shortstop, and Left Field. His greatest value to the Dodgers is his elite On-Base Percentage (career OBP: .361), which makes him the perfect left-handed bat to slot in among the power hitters like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.
The Perfect Trade Proposal
This proposal is a consolidation of ideas from analysts and reflects the assets the Dodgers can afford to move while satisfying the Cardinals’ need for high-upside pitching and a near-MLB ready bat.
| Dodgers Send (For St. Louis) | Position | Rationale for Cardinals |
| 1. RHP Emmet Sheehan | Starting Pitcher | The Pitching Ace: Sheehan had a 2.82 ERA in 2025 and comes with four years of team control. With the Dodgers’ deep rotation (Ohtani, Yamamoto, Glasnow, etc.), he is expendable, but he instantly becomes a mid-rotation workhorse for the Cardinals. |
| 2. OF Eduardo Quintero | Outfield Prospect | The High-Upside Bat: Quintero (recently named the Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America) is a high-ceiling outfielder who offers a power-speed combination (.296 AVG, 19 HR, 47 SB in 2025). He directly addresses the Cardinals’ long-term need for a dynamic outfielder. |
| Cardinals Send (For Los Angeles) | Position | Rationale for Dodgers |
| Utility Brendan Donovan | 2B / 3B / OF | The Ultimate Plug-and-Play: A Gold Glove winner who finished 2025 with a .287 AVG and .353 OBP. He provides immediate stability and elite defense at multiple positions, which is critical given the Dodgers’ injuries to Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernandez. |
Why This Deal Works for Both Sides
- For the Dodgers: They acquire a ready-made, cost-controlled veteran (through 2027) who perfectly fits their “positionless baseball” philosophy. They fill the left-field gap and shore up the infield depth without touching their absolute top-tier prospects (like Dalton Rushing).
- For the Cardinals: They get exactly what new leadership (Chaim Bloom) requires: a controllable, MLB-ready starting pitcher (Sheehan) who can immediately fill a rotation spot, and a high-upside outfielder (Quintero) who accelerates their rebuild timeline. The return is impactful and addresses their primary organizational weaknesses.
This package offers the Cardinals an immediate upgrade to their major league-ready pitching and a legitimate future everyday bat, a price that maximizes Donovan’s value as a trade chip.
