MLB insider reports that the SF Giants, Mariners are frontrunners in trade talks for 2025 NL All-Star

The stove is warming up, and the SF Giants are cooking up something good. With some of the big free agents off the board, the trade market is beginning to take shape. A lot of the talks are around Ketel Marte, but Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan is gaining traction. The Giants and Mariners are viewed as frontrunners for the 2025 NL All-Star, per Katie Woo of The Athletic (subscription required).

MLB insider reports that the SF Giants, Mariners are frontrunners in trade talks for 2025 NL All-Star

The Giants being the frontrunner makes sense for a variety of reasons. One of the main thought processes was that the Giants would spend big on a pitcher. Now it appears they will go for a more cost-efficient option. As for Donovan, he fits that bill of being cost-efficient in terms of financial cost.

Donovan is arbitration-eligible in 2026 and isn’t a free agent until 2028. It is not something that is going to break the bank for the Giants, and he is a player that brings a lot of quality to the roster. With the free agent market for second basemen being thin, landing him would pay enormous dividends. 

Donovan isn’t going to blow you away with his power, as he has yet to hit 15 home runs in a single season. However, he is a solid bat that thrives at making contact (54.1% medium contact, 32.1% hard contact). He put together a solid campaign for the Cardinals, slashing .287/.353/.422 (119 wRC+) in 515 plate appearances. The Giants as an offense struggled a bit at the plate, and even though they are craving raw power, adding a good contact bat that does well with runners in scoring position has tremendous value. 

He generates his walks, doesn’t strike out, and can provide good enough defense to stabilize the middle of the infield. 

Acquiring his services would give them an infield of Matt Chapman (3B), Willy Adames (SS), Donovan (2B), and Rafael Devers (1B). Not bad and all very quality bats. For the rebuilding Cardinals, the return could reportedly include multiple top prospects. What could the Giants part with to facilitate such a move? 

Players that Could be on the Move

Chaim Bloom is in charge and he will trade away players for assets. They are in full rebuild mode. Bloom has already traded Sonny Gray (Red Sox). In return, the Cardinals received Richard Fitts and one of the top prospects in Brandon Clarke (pitcher). If he is to trade Donovan, he will seek top-end talent to help fill the gaps and the pipeline. For the Giants, here is who could go the other way. 

This isn’t the guy to trade Bryce Eldridge for, but make no mistake that is who Bloom will ask about. Eldridge would fill a major need for the Cardinals, as he is one of the best power-hitting prospects in the sport. His ability to barrel the ball is desirable for a Cardinals offense that is not great. If they are looking to trade Willson Contreras, he fills that gap immediately. 

Bloom needs to build that rotation back, and the Giants do have pieces. While the Giants would love to see Hayden Birdsong and Carson Whisenhunt develop further, could they be part of the puzzle to getting this across the finish line? It’s quite possible. Both have upside and would be huge building blocks for the Cardinals moving forward. 

The Giants have quietly built up a lot of depth in terms of middle infield prospects. Jhonny Level is far away (estimated arrival is 2029) and so is Gavin Kilen, who played for new manager Tony Vitello at the University of Tennessee. There is upside with Kilen, so that would be a tough pill to swallow. There are numerous options this team can go down, especially on the pitching front. 

Posey has always shown signs of being bold and making a mark. What prospects would he be willing to trade for Donovan? Guess we will find out?