6 ways the St. Louis Cardinals can win this week's MLB Winter Meetings

#2: Drive up the price on a Brendan Donovan trade

We've heard it for weeks now, but Brendan Donovan is clearly the hottest name on the trade market right now, and with over 20 teams in the mix for him in some capacity, Bloom must do his best to drive up the market on him if they do intend to trade him.

The Cardinals' lone All-Star in 2025, Donovan has two years of club control remaining and remains one of the top 50 position players in the sport. His bat is far better than many give him credit for, and he pairs that with defensive versatility that makes him a major asset when it comes to roster building.

Of those 20 teams, the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates all seem to be suitors to watch. Other teams like the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, and Sacramento Athletics all appear to be possible landing spots as well. The market is robust, and the Cardinals have to use that to their advantage.

The Cardinals reportedly have a high asking price for Donovan, one that will be centered around young, high-upside pitching that Bloom is looking to collect in bunches this offseason. The Cardinals received Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke in the Sonny Gray trade, and they will surely be looking to squeeze even more value out of a Donovan trade compared to what they go there.

Trading Donovan is going to hurt. The Cardinals could extend him if they want to (and it would be a great decision), but that does not seem to be in the cards. If the offers aren't what they are hoping for this week, they should not force a deal. The only way trading Donovan will be worth it is if they truly swing for the fences with the return here, and that starts with getting a bidding war going between interested trade suitors.