John Mozeliak must take the fall in a potential trade of Cardinals' Brendan Donovan

Whispers have begun to circulate about the one of the St. Louis Cardinals' top hitters in 2025. MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that the New York Yankees, Houston Astros and others are interested in the Cardinals' lone All-Star, Brendan Donovan. In the midst of a breakout season, Donovan would command a large return if the Cardinals opted to deal him.

Any trade involving Donovan wouldn't reap immediate rewards because of the Cardinals' desire for young talent to replenish the farm system, but at 28 years old, Donovan may be at the height of his powers on the diamond, and with two years of team control remaining on his contract, Donovan is unlikely to ever be as lucrative for other teams as he is right now. However, for fans who believe that Donovan should remain a key piece of the Cardinals' future foundation as he reaches his 30s, dealing Donovan would be akin to sacrilege. And there is no member of the Cardinals organization whom fans would like to blame more for such a move than the devil in a bow tie, John Mozeliak.

Mozeliak, not Chaim Bloom, should be the one who is blamed for any deal involving Donovan.

Chaim Bloom has not yet taken over as the Cardinals' president of baseball operations, but it would be a surprise if he is not heavily involved in the decisions the Cardinals are making at the deadline. Bloom has a clean slate in St. Louis, and with Mozeliak's reputation tarred and feathered from recent trades and signings that failed to pan out for the team, along with many baffling decisions and the collapse of the organization under his watch, an unpopular deal like that of Donovan — for prospects, no less, instead of players who could help right away — would be just another splotch on the ruined canvas that is Mozeliak as opposed to an ominous beginning for Bloom.

Bloom had just taken charge of the Boston Red Sox when they sent star outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, and while there are conflicting sources as to whether Bloom or Red Sox ownership was the mastermind behind the idea to deal Betts, Bloom has absorbed the majority of the blame for the result of the trade and the package that Boston received. With that being Bloom's first major move in his time with the Red Sox, there was little he could have done to repair his standing among fans.

If the Cardinals trade Donovan at the end of the season rather than at the deadline, fans will be out for Bloom's blood as soon as he steps into Mozeliak's vacant chair. But if they rip the bandage off now and deal Donovan for some high-end future talent, Bloom should be able to escape relatively scot-free while Mozeliak is ridden out of town on a rail that had already been crafted for him.