The Seattle Mariners lost October hero Jorge Polanco to the New York Mets earlier in the offseason, causing many fans to wonder how they would address his absence in the lineup. Well, they may finally have their answer. Following much speculation, the M's are close to completing a three-team trade with the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays that will net them All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Seattle is sending switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 91-ranked prospect in baseball) and 2023 first-round draft pick Tai Peete to the Cards, and third baseman Ben Williamson to the Rays, via USA Today's Bob Nightengale. Tampa is shipping outfielder Colton Ledbetter and a Comp B pick to St. Louis.
The 29-year-old German established himself as one of the better contact hitters in the National League over the last couple of seasons, and it appears he will now take that valuable skill to The Emerald City. Donovan, who won a Gold Glove during his rookie 2022 campaign, batted .287 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .775 OPS in 118 games last season. Injuries have been an issue in his career, but when healthy, he is a reliable left-handed hitter.
St. Louis president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom had already traded Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado this offseason, so everyone was just waiting to see where Donovan would wind up. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2028 season, but with the Cardinals clearly committed to a rebuild, one can see why they wanted to maximize his return value now.
The 2018 seventh-round draft pick joins a lineup that includes American League MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, two-time Silver Slugger Julio Rodriguez, All-Star Josh Naylor and former AL Championship Series MVP Randy Arozarena. Although Seattle was a far better offensive team last season than in past years, it still ranked in the bottom half in batting average. Enter Brendan Donovan.
Home runs draw endless attention, but players who can put the bat on the ball are vitally important in the playoffs. The Mariners were on the cusp of reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history. They are trying to learn from their missteps, which included 129 strikeouts in 12 postseason games, and better prepare themselves for a potential 2026 title run.
The M's have plenty left to prove, as does the rest of the AL, but they are actively trying to shore up their remaining weaknesses. This ballclub checked out of Heartbreak Hotel last season. Now, it plans to spend another fall chasing immortality.
