The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2026 season as the clear preseason favorite to win a third straight World Series title. Oddsmakers have installed them as runaway leaders in championship futures, reflecting both their recent dominance and an offseason that reinforced an already elite roster.
Against that backdrop, the front office continues to evaluate ways to add depth rather than chase headline moves. One of the most persistent names linked to Los Angeles has been St. Louis Cardinals All-Star Brendan Donovan, whose trade market shifted over the weekend after a major decision by a division rival. For fans in states with legal sports betting, Donovan’s situation is more of a roster nuance than a driver of futures odds, but it still shapes how the Dodgers might tweak the margins of a title favorite.
Giants Choose Arráez Over Donovan
For much of the winter, the San Francisco Giants were frequently mentioned as a serious suitor for Donovan. Along with the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners, they were viewed as one of the clubs most engaged with St. Louis on a possible deal for the versatile infielder. That interest always had an expiration date, though, and the clock appears to have run out.
On Saturday, the Giants agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract with three-time batting champion Luis Arráez, pending a physical. The agreement followed reports that Arráez wanted to play second base every day and would prioritize teams willing to give him that role. San Francisco met that request and plans to install him at the keystone, where he will join an infield that also features Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman.
With Arráez now in place, industry evaluators widely believe the Giants are effectively out of the Donovan sweepstakes. They have filled their second base vacancy, added a high-contact bat to balance a lineup with some swing-and-miss, and no longer project as a logical destination for another similar profile. That outcome trims the list of Donovan suitors and modestly changes the leverage for the Cardinals.
Cardinals Hold Firm On Donovan
The Cardinals have listened to offers on Donovan throughout the offseason but have shown no urgency to move him. Earlier in January, they avoided arbitration with the 2025 All-Star by agreeing to a $5.8 million salary for 2026, a sizable jump from his previous figure and a marker of his importance to the club. Donovan hit a career-best .287 last season with solid power and on-base skills while serving as St. Louis’ lone All-Star representative.
Beyond the numbers, the organization views Donovan as a “culture” cornerstone. He can handle second base on a regular basis and move to the corner outfield spots or the infield corners as needed. That versatility, combined with his production and contract status — he remains under team control through 2027 — gives the Cardinals little incentive to sell low or even at market value.
Reports throughout the winter have framed St. Louis’ asking price as steep. The Mariners, Red Sox, and Kansas City Royals have all been linked to Donovan but have not met the demand, which is believed to involve multiple premium prospects or young, controllable big leaguers. With one of the most aggressive pursuers, the Giants, now off the board, the Cardinals can credibly maintain their stance that keeping Donovan is a perfectly acceptable outcome.
How Donovan Would Fit The Dodgers
From the Dodgers’ perspective, Donovan is more of a luxury fit than a necessity, but he checks many of the boxes this front office typically values. He brings a left-handed bat, strong on-base skills, and the ability to move around the diamond. In an ideal scenario, he could start at second base while also covering left field, right field, first base, and third base as matchups dictate.
His 2025 production underscores the appeal. Donovan posted a .287 batting average and a .353 on-base percentage with a 119 wRC+ while logging time at multiple positions. That profile would mesh well with a Dodgers lineup that, despite its star power, can lean toward strikeouts at times. Donovan’s contact-heavy approach would offer a different look around anchors such as Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and newcomer Kyle Tucker.
His presence would also give manager Dave Roberts greater flexibility in managing workloads. Donovan could start at second base on most days but slide to a corner outfield spot when a regular needs a day off, or step in at first or third in the event of minor injuries. On a roster already built to withstand a 162-game grind, he would function as high-end insurance rather than a headlining addition.
Speculation Around Trade Framework
Speculation about a potential Dodgers-Cardinals deal ramped up when a national report floated the idea of a one-for-one swap, sending Donovan to Los Angeles in exchange for outfield prospect Zyhir Hope. That concept has not progressed beyond the proposal stage, and the Cardinals’ posture suggests it would not be enough to get a deal done.
The Dodgers have one of baseball’s deepest farm systems and can build competitive offers if they choose. However, the context matters. This is a team coming off back-to-back titles, entering 2026 as the championship favorite, and already featuring a stacked lineup and reinforced pitching staff. In that position, the front office can afford to be selective about which prospects it moves and for whom.
Any serious pursuit of Donovan would likely require multiple young pieces, which would represent a meaningful cost for what amounts to a premium role player. The Dodgers have shown a willingness to pay that price for top-of-the-rotation arms or true middle-of-the-order bats. Whether they view Donovan in that same tier remains unclear.
Dodgers’ Outlook As Spring Nears
As of now, discussions between the Dodgers and Cardinals appear to have cooled. With Los Angeles’ position players set to report to Camelback Ranch in mid-February, the club can take a longer view. The priority will be monitoring pitching health, integrating new additions, and assessing whether any roster holes emerge early in camp.
The Dodgers remain the heavy favorites to win their third World Series in a row, and that reality reduces the pressure to force a trade. Donovan continues to profile as an ideal fit, but St. Louis’ leverage and high asking price make a deal more of a possibility than a probability. If injuries arise or if the Cardinals soften their stance closer to the trade deadline, the calculus could change.
For now, the more likely outcome is that Donovan opens the season in a Cardinals uniform while the Dodgers move forward with their current core. The front office will keep monitoring the market, but it can do so from a position of strength, knowing that the roster as constructed is already capable of contending deep into October.
