10 bold predictions for the Cardinals trade deadline and rest of the 2024 season

Bold Prediction #7 - Two Cardinals win Gold Gloves

As of today, I think the Cardinals have two strong candidates to win Gold Gloves in 2024 - center fielder Michael Siani and utility man Brendan Donovan.

Let's start with Donovan, who already won the NL Utility Gold Glove in his rookie year and is having a far superior season defensively this year. In 2022, when Donovan won the award for the first time, he posted a -3 OAA but was providing the Cardinals value at six different positions, helping him to win the award over the arguably more deserving Tommy Edman.

This year, Donovan has posted a 1 OAA thus far and has had to play a lot of left field for the Cardinals, which is by no means his most natural position. And yet, as the Cardinals' outfield is getting healthier, it is hard to find a reason to move Donovan out of that spot with just how good he has been for them.

But part of what makes Donovan so special is that he can hold down left field at a high level while the Cardinals are batting injuries, but he can also move around the field and provide value elsewhere. I imagine now that Nootbaar is back and Burleson is deserving of outfield time, we'll see Donovan play more infield than we did in the first half, and he'll keep on making awesome plays like he did in the Marlins series filling in for Arenado.

Left field, right field, third base, second base, or even first base, Donovan is going to be a positive for the Cardinals defensively, and I think it will lead to his second Gold Glove this year.

While part of Donovan's value is the fact that he is really good in a lot of places, Michael Siani's case for a Gold Glove this year is that he is truly elite in center field defensively, and I think it is pretty clear he has been the best in baseball out there this year.

Siani routinely gets to baseballs that most players cannot out in center field. Not occasionally, not just in big moments, but seemingly every game Siani is making a game-changing or run-saving play in center field. He has been a massive blessing to the Cardinals' pitching staff this year, and he is well on his way to getting a Gold Glove to show for it.