The St. Louis Cardinals are a team that’s looking towards the future. While they are a middle-of-the-pack team in 2025, the future is where the Cardinals are likely to make their largest impact.
With the future in mind, there are a few players on this roster that won’t be going anywhere, even if the Cardinals are strong sellers at the MLB trade deadline. Despite their plethora of tradeable pieces, there are some untouchable players.
During a segment on Fair Territory, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal was presented with a wild trade idea between the Cardinals and the New York Yankees. The idea would have the Cardinals sending versatile slugger Brendan Donovan to the Yankees. Rosenthal’s response to that idea was a quick and succinct one.
“If I’m the St. Louis Cardinals,” Rosenthal said, “and I’m entering this kind of rebuilding phase… that is the direction I would be taking with him. You have to have a veteran-type player who can set an example for the young guys. I would not be trading Donovan.”
Donovan is 28 years old and has two more years of arbitration left. When he’s a free agent, he’ll be 31 years old. St. Louis could decide to move on from him, but Rosenthal doesn’t see that as a possibility right now. Between how good Donovan is and the need for a veteran presence with the young players coming up, Donovan is set to be a staple of the Cardinals’ roster going forward.
In 2025, Donovan is hitting .323 across 257 at-bats. He’s been one of the best hitters in the league, leaving little reason for the team to move on from him. I his fourth season so far, Donovan has 83 hits, 38 runs scored,21 doubles, four home runs, 27 RBIs, three stolen bases, 22 walks, and 39 strikeouts.
His .839 OPS is solid and the best of his career thus far. He’s always been a guy who can hit for solid averages, but in 2025, he’s turned it up a notch. Not only that, but he’s also slugging the ball more, as he is on pace to beat his previous career high in doubles, and get close to his career high in home runs.
The Cardinals moving Donovan is out of the question, and Rosenthal doesn’t see it as a remote possibility. While the Yankees would surely love a player of Donovan’s caliber, they won’t be able to land the Cardinals’ star anytime soon.
