Mariners Land All-Star Brendan Donovan In Three-Team Blockbuster

The Seattle Mariners have made a major splash just ahead of spring training, acquiring All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals in a blockbuster three-team trade that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays. After weeks of speculation and persistent rumors linking Donovan to Seattle, the deal finally materialized on February 2, 2026, shaking up the Mariners' infield and sending a clear signal that the club is determined to build on last season’s American League West title run.

Donovan, 29, is coming off a career year with the Cardinals, where he slashed .287/.353/.422 over 118 games in 2025, notching 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, and an impressive 32 doubles. His performance earned him his first career All-Star selection and saw him lead St. Louis in both doubles and WAR (2.7). Known for his elite contact skills—Donovan struck out in just 13% of his plate appearances last season, ranking 14th among all qualified hitters—he brings a steady, reliable presence to the top of the Mariners’ batting order.

The trade, first reported by ESPN and subsequently confirmed by multiple outlets, sees the Mariners part ways with several promising young players. Third baseman Ben Williamson, who made his major league debut in 2025 and was lauded for his Gold Glove-caliber defense, heads to the Rays. Williamson appeared in 85 games for Seattle last season, batting .253 with a .294 on-base percentage and .310 slugging. Meanwhile, the Cardinals bolster their farm system by acquiring switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje—Seattle’s first-round pick in 2024 and ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the AL West by CBS Sports—as well as outfielder Tai Peete, a 20-year-old first-round pick from 2023 known for his speed and defensive prowess. St. Louis also receives outfielder Colton Ledbetter and two compensatory draft picks from Tampa Bay, fully committing to a youth movement under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom.

For the Mariners, the move addresses a glaring need in their infield following the offseason departure of Jorge Polanco, who signed with the New York Mets. Polanco’s exit left a void at second base that Seattle was hesitant to fill with untested youngsters like Cole Young, Ben Williamson, or Colt Emerson. Donovan, who has experience at every infield position except catcher and center field, as well as both corner outfield spots, brings championship-caliber versatility and a Gold Glove to the mix. He’s likely to see significant time at second base, but could also slide over to third, depending on how the Mariners’ spring training shakes out. The club now boasts enviable depth, with Donovan joining a lefty-heavy lineup featuring Josh Naylor, J.P. Crawford, and the newly acquired Dominic Canzone or Luke Raley in right field or DH roles.

Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander had been open about their desire to make one more impact move before the start of spring training. According to sources, the Mariners ramped up their pursuit of Donovan after the San Francisco Giants, another rumored suitor, dropped out by signing Luis Arráez. Seattle’s front office ultimately met St. Louis’s high asking price, parting with a trio of talented prospects but holding onto their top young pitchers, a key priority for Dipoto.

Donovan’s offensive profile is a perfect fit for the Mariners’ needs. While he doesn’t possess Polanco’s power—his career high is 14 home runs, set in 2024—he excels at getting on base and setting the table for sluggers like Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh. In 2025, Donovan posted an OPS+ of 119, right in line with his career mark of 117, and through the end of May, he boasted a wOBA of .373. A mid-season toe injury hampered his production, but the Mariners are betting that he can rediscover his early-season form now that he’s healthy. As one report noted, “The Mariners are no doubt hoping he’s able to rediscover and sustain that higher level moving forward.”

Defensively, Donovan’s flexibility is a manager’s dream. He’s logged major league innings at second, third, shortstop, first base, and both outfield corners, even earning a Gold Glove Award as a utility player—the first year MLB recognized the position. With spring training just weeks away, Seattle’s coaching staff will have the opportunity to experiment with various alignments to maximize both offensive and defensive potential. Cole Young and Colt Emerson remain in the mix for infield roles, while Ryan Bliss provides additional depth.

The Cardinals’ side of the deal marks the culmination of an offseason overhaul. After trading away veterans Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, and Nolan Arenado, St. Louis is embracing a full-scale rebuild. The influx of young talent, headlined by Cijntje and Peete, gives the Cardinals a chance to restock their pipeline and clears the way for top prospect JJ Wetherholt to potentially open the 2026 season as the starting second baseman. CBS Sports praised Cijntje’s “sneaky good right-handed fastball as well as a swing-and-miss breaker that ought to result in a middle-of-the-rotation future,” though many scouts believe his long-term future is as a right-hander only.

For Tampa Bay, the addition of Ben Williamson provides an immediate defensive upgrade at third base. The Rays, always on the lookout for cost-controlled infield talent, get a player who already plays at a Gold Glove level and showed flashes of offensive upside during his rookie campaign.

Seattle fans, meanwhile, are abuzz with excitement. The Mariners are coming off a 90-72 season that saw them top the AL West by three games over the Houston Astros before falling to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS. With a core that already includes Rodríguez, Raleigh, Naylor, Arozarena, and Crawford, adding Donovan’s bat-to-ball skills and defensive versatility could be the missing ingredient for a deeper postseason run. “He’s a reliable guy at the top of the lineup to get on base for the sluggers behind him like Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh,” one local analysis observed.

Spring training is set to begin later this month, and all eyes will be on how manager Scott Servais deploys his new-look infield. Will Donovan settle in at second, or will the Mariners shuffle the deck to optimize their lineup? One thing is certain: with Donovan now in the fold and under team control through 2027, Seattle has positioned itself as a serious contender in the American League—and the city’s long wait for a World Series berth suddenly feels a little shorter.