MLB insider reveals Cardinals' Brendan Donovan trade deadline update

For the St. Louis Cardinals, after dropping two of three, including a 6-0 shutout, to the Colorado Rockies, their trade deadline plans were all but decided. John Mozeliak and the Cardinals are set to sell some of their players at the deadline.

While players like Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz are clear trade candidates, recently, a new face has joined the potential outgoing players at the deadline.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Cardinals are receiving interest from multiple teams, including the New York Yankees and Houston Astros, for infielder Brendan Donovan.

"All-Star INF Brendan Donovan would interest the Yankees if he's available," Heyman reports. "Many teams would be. Astros, too. Unclear how deep Cardinals sale will be."

All-Star INF Brendan Donovan would interest the Yankees, if he’s available. Many teams would be. Astros, too. Unclear how deep Cardinals sale will be.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 25, 2025

If St. Louis does decide to do a complete fire sale, then Donovan could be on his way out this trade deadline. But, with Mozeliak set to step down after the season, and Chaim Bloom set to take his place, a big move like this might not happen in-season.

Donovan earned his first All-Star nod this season, thanks to an impressive performance at the plate. He's hitting .296 with a .364 on-base and a .433 slugging percentage. His .797 OPS is also very strong and is tied for third on the team with Willson Contreras.

MORE: MLB insider reveals three relievers Cardinals are most likely to trade

Moving on from Donovan, who is under team control through 2027, would come at a very expensive cost. While teams might be interested, the Cardinals would likely ask for a massive haul that those teams might not part with.

Even if a team offers a strong return package, the Cardinals might not move on from him at the deadline. Donovan is one of the best players on the Cardinals, and parting ways with him wouldn't be an easy move to make for St. Louis.

While St. Louis is selling, Donovan is not a likely trade candidate. His offensive performance this season and years of control make his trade likelihood not very high. Teams might be interested, but the Cardinals likely aren't inclined to trade Donovan.

MORE MLB NEWS:

• Padres make Dylan Cease, Michael King trade deadline decisions
• Padres 'don't match up' with Red Sox in trade for All-Star MVP
• Tigers 'make a lot of sense' in trade for $275 million All-Star third baseman
• Tigers expected to aggressively pursue impact closer at trade deadline
• Astros named a 'strong trade fit' for Braves three-time All-Star silver slugger
• MLB insider reveals Guardians' trade demands for Steven Kwan