The Seattle Mariners have made a sharp turn in their offseason plans. They’re moving away from free agency and focusing on the trade market to land a proven infield bat.
With Jorge Polanco no longer an option and top free agents out of reach, the Mariners have zeroed in on two trade targets: St. Louis Cardinals standout Brendan Donovan and Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte. Lately, Donovan has become the main focus—and the price might be high.
Mariners Shift From Free Agency to the Trade Market
Once it became clear that Jorge Polanco was off the table, the Mariners had to rethink how they’d strengthen an infield that badly needs another reliable bat. Their first stop was free agency, but that market quickly brought more headaches than answers.
Big names like Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette are just too expensive for Seattle, especially considering the years and dollars those deals would demand. The rest of the free-agent infielders don’t really offer the impact Seattle needs if they’re serious about contending in 2025 and beyond.
Why a Trade Makes More Sense for Seattle
With free agency looking either too pricey or too underwhelming, a trade just makes more sense. Seattle can target exactly what they need—years of control, defensive flexibility, and on-base skills—without getting locked into a long-term, bloated deal.
That’s where Brendan Donovan and Ketel Marte come into play.
Brendan Donovan Emerges as the Primary Target
Out of all the realistic options, Brendan Donovan has jumped to the top of Seattle’s wish list. Reports keep linking the Mariners to the Cardinals’ versatile infielder, and it’s clear the interest is serious.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Jordan Shusterman, Seattle is strongly pursuing Donovan. Donovan’s offensive ceiling may not reach Polanco’s best years, but his all-around game checks a lot of boxes for a club that needs both run production and run prevention.
What Donovan Brings to the Mariners’ Lineup
Donovan appeals to Seattle for a few big reasons:
Donovan is also a 2025 All-Star and still has two years of club control left. That mix of performance and affordability makes his trade value pretty significant, and the Cardinals are well aware.
What Will It Cost to Land Donovan?
When an All-Star with multiple years of control hits the trade block, everyone wants to know the price. For Seattle, the big question is whether they can land Donovan without gutting their present or future.
Former Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn recently suggested that the Mariners might have to give up starting pitcher Bryce Miller. On paper, that sounds like a fair swap: proven major-league arm for proven major-league position player.
Why Trading Bryce Miller Doesn’t Add Up
Shusterman disagreed with Lynn’s idea, pointing out something important: trading away a current MLB starter like Miller doesn’t actually make the Mariners better right now. Seattle’s whole approach is built on run prevention and a strong rotation, so losing Miller just creates a new problem while fixing another.
For a team that thinks it’s ready to compete, swapping a cost-controlled starter for a position player—even someone as useful as Donovan—feels like spinning wheels. The Mariners should be looking to add wins, not just shuffle them around.
Cardinals Eye Prospects Over Rotation Help
The trade picture gets clearer when you look at what St. Louis wants. Instead of demanding a rotation-ready pitcher, the Cardinals seem more interested in upside and long-term value.
The Athletic’s Katie Woo says St. Louis has their eye on Mariners prospects Jurrangelo Cijntje and Lazaro Montes. Their focus on youth and projection says a lot about their approach in these talks.
High-Ceiling Prospects as the Trade Backbone
Shusterman thinks the Cardinals are prioritizing long-term upside over immediate pitching help. In that light, a high-ceiling arm like Cijntje is more appealing to St. Louis than a ready-made starter like Miller.
For the Mariners, that’s probably a good thing. A deal built around top prospects instead of current big-league starters keeps their 2025 rotation together and still gives them a shot at bringing in Donovan to steady the infield.
What a Donovan Deal Would Mean for Seattle
Right now, it looks like any Brendan Donovan trade would center on prospects like Cijntje and Montes. The Mariners seem determined to avoid giving up established arms such as Bryce Miller.
If Seattle can pull this off, they’ll finally patch up that glaring infield hole. And they won’t have to mess with their pitching strength to do it.
This offseason, free agency has mostly been a headache—more sticker shock than real answers. The Mariners seem ready to pay up with prospects for a controllable, versatile, and steady infield bat.
Whether it’s Donovan or maybe someone unexpected like Ketel Marte, the approach is obvious. Seattle’s best shot at getting better is through trades, not free agency.
Here is the source article for this story: Seattle Mariners: What’s the cost of a trade for Donovan?
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