As the winter of 2025 was getting colder, Brendan Donovan’s name suddenly appeared — not because of a home run, but because of… an Instagram story from a rival pitching team. The Kansas City Royals, via Vinnie Pasquantino, posted a photo of Donovan in the batting cage, raising a wave of suspicion: Is a sensational trade between the two Missouri teams imminent?
Pasquantino — the sharp slugger who exploded with 32 home runs and 113 RBIs in 2025 — suddenly posted a story with Donovan in the batting cage. The seemingly innocuous moment immediately turned into a red flag for Cardinals fans: why would a Royals player be comfortable appearing next to Donovan — a name that is very hot on the transfer market?
In an offseason that is often rife with rumors, this is the clearest example yet of a team actually approaching Donovan — not through rumors, but through… a photo. And with the new season not yet started, it is the first sign of a deal that could happen very quickly.
Donovan is not a three-point hitter: he is a versatile player — able to play infield and outfield, catching the ball in a variety of positions.
In 2025, Donovan hit .287/.353/.422, with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 118 games — enough to start a “hot” season for many teams: from the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, to the Royals and Houston Astros.
With no no-trade clause, and under contract through 2028 — that makes Donovan a rare commodity: consistent performance, positional flexibility, and a reasonable price. For a team like the Cardinals, in the midst of a rebuild, that’s “good enough” — but also an opportunity to get what they need: quality pitching.
Under new leader Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals marked the beginning of a new era by trading Sonny Gray for two young pitchers.
In that context, Donovan — while still an All-Star and very valuable — could be the biggest piece to trade for the future. According to the scenarios proposed by the expert community, trading Donovan could help the Cardinals get a lot of promising prospects, especially a pitcher — something the organization is desperately lacking.
With the need to bolster the rotation, reduce the number of left-handed bats, and look 2-3 years ahead, the Reds may see Donovan as the most valuable card to “fill” the pitching arsenal.
The market for Donovan is wide open — from the Yankees, Dodgers to Astros, Guardians… the list of potential partners is endless.
And the Pasquantino photo? It’s not just a “photo of friends hitting the ball together” — it could be the “warm-up” for a big deal. If the deal happens, it will be a shock not only to Cardinals fans — but to the entire MLB.
But beyond the opportunity, there’s also the risk: Donovan could be included in a “futures trade,” and the Cardinals must ensure the pieces they’re getting back are strong enough to rebuild their foundation. Otherwise, they risk selling a rare player — only to pay more later.
Now, it all hangs on a thin thread: Are the Royals, after Pasquantino’s suggestive photo, really prepared to make a big move to get Brendan Donovan, or will the Cardinals hold on to their most versatile player in exchange for a future elsewhere?
With the Cardinals weighing whether to make a splash deal or keep a key player while the team rebuilds, all signs point to a blockbuster trade that could happen at any moment. And that’s why St. Louis fans are so excited. Louis is holding its breath: the final punch — if it comes — could rewrite the entire offseason, even pivot the Cardinals’ future for years to come.
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