This Royals Blockbuster Trade Idea Would Bring $3 Million Cardinals Gold Glover To KC

Why not shoot your shot with the in-state rivals?
Apr 2, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA;  St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) manager Oliver Marmol (37) and third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) poses for a photo with their Rawlings platinum and gold glove awards before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 2, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) manager Oliver Marmol (37) and third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) poses for a photo with their Rawlings platinum and gold glove awards before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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The Kansas City Royals cannot begin the 2025 season with the lineup as it's currently constructed.

Sure, the Royals are bringing back most of the same roster that got them to the playoffs last year. But they got there because A) the pitching staff and Bobby Witt Jr. were sublime, and B) the American League Wild Card picture was exceptionally weak.

The Royals can't count on similar good fortune this season. Teams like the Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Rays could usurp Kansas City if they don't improve their offense. Fortunately, there's still time to make improvements.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the free-agent pool is relatively shallow, and the players at the top end (i.e. Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander) are probably out of Kansas City's price range. That means a trade is the most likely way to get the new bat the Royals need.

The Royals' in-state rivals, though, might provide them with the perfect solution. As the St. Louis Cardinals look to be entering a mini-rebuild, there's a still-cheap position player who could become available if the Royals, or any team, is willing to pay the right price.

Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan, a 2022 Gold Glover, could be at his peak trade value with three remaining years of team control. He's also about to head to arbitration over a comically small amount of money--he filed for a $3.2 million salary, while the Cardinals filed at $2.85 million.

If the Cardinals don't see Donovan, who had a 112 OPS+ last season, as part of their rebuild timeline, they'd be wise to trade him now. With that in mind, here is one potential trade package that the Royals might be able to send St. Louis to pry Donovan loose:

Royals receive: UTIL Brendan Donovan

Cardinals receive: RHP Blake Wolters (Royals No. 4 prospect), 3B/SS Austin Charles (No. 14).

The Royals have a fairly healthy farm system of pitchers, so they can afford to spare Wolters, who has yet to pitch above Low-A, but has a big-time fastball. Charles is already 21 and would be relegated to third base duties if he ever reached the big leagues in Kansas City, so the Royals include him as well.

Would both sides agree to such an arrangement? It's a question for the front offices, but the Royals should at least be opening the dialogue with St. Louis about Donovan this winter.

More MLB: Ex-Yankees World Series Champ Projected To Land With Royals After Dominant 2024


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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org