The Mariners lost Jorge Polanco to the Mets yesterday, and now they’ve got a hole to fill at second base. But there’s an obvious target sitting in St. Louis who could be even better than what they just lost.
Brendan Donovan is exactly what Seattle needs right now. The Cardinals’ All-Star second baseman brings Gold Glove defense and the kind of versatility that makes roster construction so much easier. More importantly, the Mariners have exactly what St. Louis wants in return.
Christopher Kline at FanSided thinks it’s a perfect match, and it’s hard to argue with his logic.
“New Cardinals GM Chaim Bloom needs to dial up the Mariners, who boast the deepest reservoir of high-level pitching prospects in MLB. The M’s need a potential Jorge Polanco replacement and would benefit from Donovan’s ability to flex to the outfield. St. Louis needs a major influx of rotation-level talent. It’s a match made in heaven.”
What makes this different from chasing Polanco is that Donovan might actually be the better fit. Sure, he doesn’t have the switch-hitting power – he slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI last season. But his contact skills are elite, and his glove is in another stratosphere compared to what Polanco brings.
The real value is in that versatility. Donovan can play second, third, first, and all three outfield spots. That’s roster flexibility you can’t put a price on, especially for a team that’s been dealing with injury issues.
From where I’m sitting, this makes too much sense not to happen. The Cardinals are clearly rebuilding under Bloom, and the Mariners have that deep pitching pipeline that every rebuilding team covets. Seattle’s prospect depth gives them the ammunition to get this done without gutting their future.
But they better move fast. A 27-year-old All-Star with that kind of defensive ability and positional flexibility? Every contender looking for an upgrade is going to be calling St. Louis about Donovan.
The Mariners have been close to breaking through for years now. Sometimes the best moves are the ones that make your roster more flexible, not just more powerful. Donovan gives them both.
