The Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants have positioned themselves at the forefront of the race to acquire St. Louis Cardinals infielder, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions. St. Louis is reportedly seeking a significant return, centered on multiple high-end prospects, as it weighs whether to move one of its most versatile and valuable position players.
The Cardinals are navigating a transitional period under first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, who has been tasked with reshaping the organization after several seasons of uneven results. As part of that process, St. Louis has made Donovan available in trade conversations throughout the offseason. While the Mariners have been connected to the 28-year-old for weeks, one source characterized recent talks as gaining real traction following the conclusion of MLB’s Winter Meetings on Wednesday.
Among the names St. Louis has asked about from Seattle’s system is right-hander Jurrangelo Cijntje, the Mariners’ 2024 first-round pick who has drawn widespread attention for his rare ability to pitch both right-handed and left-handed. Another prospect discussed in preliminary talks is outfielder Lazaro Montes, though he is far from the only player the Cardinals have considered as they evaluate potential packages.
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There is a notable degree of familiarity between the two organizations, particularly on the pitching side. Cardinals director of pitching Matt Pierpont spent four seasons in the Mariners organization before joining St. Louis ahead of the 2025 campaign, giving the Cardinals deeper insight into Seattle’s development pipeline. From Seattle’s perspective, the incentive to pursue a major addition may be heightened by the recent loss of infielder Jorge Polanco, who signed with the New York Mets, leaving a hole in the Mariners’ infield mix.
San Francisco, however, is no less serious in its pursuit. League sources indicate that several of the Giants’ upper-level prospects have been part of the dialogue, including infielder Gavin Kilen and left-handed pitcher Carson Whisenhunt.
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One industry insider suggested that St. Louis would require at least two organizational prospects of real value to part with Donovan, whose appeal extends well beyond just a couple of suitors. In fact, more than half the league has shown some level of interest, underscoring the demand for a controllable, multi-position player with a proven track record.
Complicating matters further, both the Mariners and Giants remain involved in trade discussions with the Arizona Diamondbacks regarding All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte. For San Francisco in particular, the second-base market remains fluid, with the front office exploring solutions through both trades and free-agent signings. Donovan’s positional flexibility makes him an especially attractive alternative or complement, depending on how other negotiations unfold.
Bloom has demonstrated a willingness to make bold and potentially unpopular decisions in service of a longer-term vision. That mindset was on full display in November, when he dealt ace right-hander Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, a move that signaled the Cardinals’ readiness to sacrifice some immediate certainty in exchange for future upside. While Bloom has been clear that the team is not waving a white flag, he has repeatedly emphasized that sustainable contention, rather than short-term fixes, will guide the organization’s choices.
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“When we’re faced with a decision between immediate satisfaction and our broader objective of building a consistently competitive club, we’re going to prioritize the long term,” Bloom said during his introductory press conference earlier this offseason.
That philosophy appears to be shaping the Cardinals’ stance on Donovan. Multiple team sources indicated that St. Louis is not eager to move him and would only do so if the return is overwhelming. Given that Donovan remains under team control through the 2027 season, acquiring multiple premium prospects would align with Bloom’s approach and provide tangible building blocks for the next phase of the Cardinals’ roster.
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Although St. Louis did not make headlines during the Winter Meetings, the club remained active behind the scenes. On Saturday afternoon, the Cardinals finalized a one-year contract with right-hander Dustin May, adding pitching depth while preserving long-term flexibility. With that deal complete, attention within the front office has shifted more decisively toward the trade market, where Donovan represents just one of several significant pieces in play.
The Cardinals are also continuing to gauge interest in catcher Willson Contreras. With Pete Alonso no longer available after signing elsewhere, there is a belief around the league that conversations involving Contreras could intensify. Contreras, who is signed through 2027 with a club option for 2028, has privately communicated to the organization that he would be open to waiving his full no-trade clause if the right opportunity arises.
The New York Mets did check in on Contreras earlier in the offseason, but their level of interest was described as limited. That assessment was reinforced when the Mets committed two years and $40 million to Polanco, effectively addressing their infield needs through other means. Boston, on the other hand, is viewed as a more serious potential landing spot. The Red Sox have strong interest in Contreras, and the two clubs have a long history of trade discussions. While no agreement is imminent, a team source acknowledged that the connection bears watching in the coming days.
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Another major question mark for St. Louis is the future of Nolan Arenado. Moving the All-Star third baseman remains a priority for the Cardinals, but the market has yet to fully materialize. Arenado’s full no-trade clause presents an additional hurdle, narrowing the list of possible destinations and complicating negotiations. Even so, the Cardinals remain confident that they will eventually identify a suitable trade partner. Bloom addressed the situation earlier this week in Orlando, Fla., making it clear that cutting ties outright is not on the table, stating that releasing Arenado is “not an option.”
Taken together, the Cardinals’ offseason strategy reflects a delicate balancing act. By entertaining offers for players like Donovan, Contreras, and Arenado, Bloom is signaling a commitment to reshaping the roster in a way that prioritizes long-term health over immediate gains. Whether that ultimately leads to a blockbuster deal with Seattle, San Francisco, or another club entirely remains to be seen, but the groundwork has clearly been laid for a potentially transformative stretch of transactions in the days and weeks ahead.
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