The Seattle Mariners have been no strangers to aggressive offseason maneuvering under Jerry Dipoto, but their latest blockbuster, a three-team trade netting All-Star infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals, feels like a definitive statement of intent. Coming off a 2025 season where they clinched the AL West and pushed to the ALCS, only to fall short, the M’s are loading up for what they hope is a World Series run in 2026. Donovan, a 29-year-old contact machine with a career .361 OBP and a Gold Glove pedigree, slides into a lineup already boasting firepower from Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, and Randy Arozarena. It’s a move that addresses glaring infield holes left by the departures of Jorge Polanco (to the Mets) and Eugenio Suárez (to the Reds), but at the cost of some intriguing young talent.
Let’s break down the nuts and bolts: Seattle ships out switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (their 2024 first-round pick, now focusing on right-handed throwing with mid-90s heat), outfielder Tai Peete (2023 first-rounder with raw power but strikeout issues), and third baseman Ben Williamson (a 2023 second-rounder who’s flashed defensive chops but struggled offensively in his MLB debut). Williamson heads to the Rays, while the Cardinals also snag outfielder Colton Ledbetter from Tampa and a pair of Competitive Balance Round B picks (around Nos. 68 and 72 in the upcoming draft). For a team like the Mariners, who pride themselves on a deep farm system, this isn’t gutting the cupboard (none of these pieces cracked their top-five prospects), but it’s still a hefty price for a player with just two years of control left at a modest $5.8 million for 2026.
On the plus side, Donovan is exactly the kind of glue guy Seattle needs. His 13% strikeout rate ranked among the league’s best last year, and his .287/.353/.422 slash in 2025 (with 32 doubles and 10 homers) screams “table-setter” for a lineup that ranked middling in contact and OBP. Defensively, he’s a Swiss Army knife: Gold Glove winner in 2022 as a utility man, with experience at every infield spot except catcher and solid outfield reps too. He could lock down third base, compete with prospects like Colt Emerson or Cole Young at second, or even spell Arozarena in the corners. This versatility not only plugs immediate gaps but acts as a bridge to the next wave of talent, keeping the M’s flexible without blocking their blue-chip kids. Projections like Steamer peg him at around 3 WAR for 2026, a net upgrade that could push Seattle’s win total up by a couple games and solidify them as AL favorites.
But let’s not sugarcoat the risks. Trading away Cijntje, a unique arm with ace upside if his development clicks, sets up the potential for an all-time “what if” scenario, especially if he thrives in St. Louis’ rebuild under Chaim Bloom. Peete’s athleticism and power could haunt them, too, and losing those draft picks limits future flexibility in a system that’s been Dipoto’s secret sauce. Defensively, there’s chatter about Donovan’s limited recent time at third (just 40 games career, none since 2024), which might exacerbate left-side issues alongside a regressing J.P. Crawford. And while the Mariners’ offense gets a boost, T-Mobile Park’s pitcher-friendly confines might cap Donovan’s power output compared to Busch Stadium.
All told, this feels like the right trade for a team in win-now mode. The Mariners aren’t rebuilding; they’re refining a contender that was eight outs from the World Series last fall. Donovan’s fit, offensive consistency, defensive adaptability, and cost-controlled contract outweigh the prospect hit, especially since Seattle kept their elite farm depth intact. It’s a championship-caliber gamble, and in a league where standing pat means falling behind, this pushes them closer to the top.
Grade: A- The Mariners get an immediate upgrade without mortgaging the future too heavily.
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