Red Sox insider's 'worthless' update hints at what Cardinals fans already know

Chaim Bloom currently runs the St. Louis Cardinals. Before that, he ran the Boston Red Sox. Given that his old team is currently in a window of contention while his present team is mired in a rebuild, it makes sense that both sides haven't been afraid to team up for a number of trades this offseason.

First, there was the Sonny Gray trade that landed the Redbirds pitchers Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts. Subsequently, Willson Contreras was shipped to Boston in exchange for three right-handed pitchers: Yhoiker Fajardo, Blake Aita, and Hunter Dobbins.

Though the Red Sox failed to make it three-for-three in acquiring aging Cardinals veterans when Nolan Arenado demanded a trade to the West Coast, that doesn't appear to be stopping the most lucrative trade partnership in the league. Per Sox insider Chris Cotillo, Craig Breslow's squad is looking for another upgrade in the infield.

Cotillo then doubled down on the recent rumor that Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks isn't going anywhere. With Contreras locked in at first base and Trevor Story holding down the fort at shortstop, most expect top prospect Marcelo Mayer to get the first audition at replacing Alex Bregman at the hot corner.

It doesn't take a lot of time to connect the dots from there.

Red Sox rumored to be suitors for Cardinals' Brendan Donovan... again

The aforementioned Red Sox lineup leaves a gaping hole at second base, particularly after Kristian Campbell was moved to the outfield on a permanent basis earlier this winter.

It just so happens that Brendan Donovan is the best second baseman on the market now that Marte has been pulled by the Diamondbacks, and it's not hard to see how the Red Sox and Cardinals could reach another deal. Boston still possesses ample pitching depth and an elite crop of outfielders for St. Louis to pull from.

For what it's worth, Donovan should return more in a trade than either Gray or Contreras did. He posted a 119 wRC+ while hitting .287/.353/.422 overall in 2025, and he comes with two more years of control via arbitration. At just 29 years old, he should command a hefty package, and the Cardinals won't have to eat any money to incentivize another team to take him on.

Again, this rumor is nothing new. The connection between Donovan and the Red Sox has been obvious ever since the Gray trade occurred. Chaim Bloom can probably put together a bidding war for his All-Star second baseman, but his connection to Boston may simply be too strong to ignore.