Brendan Donovan
Brendan Donovan recently became one of the most talked about trade candidates as the St. Louis Cardinals moved on from Nolan Arenado and Wilson Contreras and officially began their rebuild.
Donovan has attracted interest from several rival clubs. His value comes from his excellent contact skills, plus plate discipline and defensive versatility, as well as his affordability under arbitration for the next two seasons.
Under team control through the 2027 season at a modest AAV of $5.6 million, Donovan’s market is competitive. The Cardinals aren’t eager to move their biggest piece on offense. Still, they would consider a stiff offer, likely involving higher-end candidates or high-end MLB-ready pieces from another club.
The Mariners and Giants have emerged as frontrunners in a potential trade for Brendan Donovan, according to sources from multiple leagues, with the Cardinals looking to land several potential players in a return. More:
With teams like the Mariners, Giants, Red Sox and Yankees showing interest in Donovan, Toronto should impress the Cardinals with an offer. The Jays have some depth in the farm system to play with, as well as some fringe big-league players who could entice the Cardinals to deal Donovan.
Cody Bellinger
Bellinger’s camp, led by the Boras Corporation, is reportedly looking for a seven-year deal at a premium AAV. The Yankees have offered a five-year contract worth $160 million with two opt-outs and believe it is a fair offer, but length remains a sticking point for the outfielder.
#yankees have internally decided not to participate in a bidding war for Cody Bellinger as #Mets or someone else comes in with a great offer. The Yankees believe they made a fair offer: five years, $160 million, two opt-outs. They are willing to let Bellinger walk.
For the Blue Jays, two approaches exist: a shorter, high AAV deal with opt-outs similar to Bichette and Tucker’s deals, or meeting Bellinger’s seven-year requirement to hold onto that middle bat, even though this is likely a risky deal in the second half.
There are also legitimate concerns about the split of Bellinger’s home paths.
In 2025, he posted a .909 OPS at Yankee Stadium, compared to .715 elsewhere, taking advantage of the short porch in right field. With six seasons having passed since Bellinger’s MVP campaign and his age now approaching 30, regression is definitely a concern. If Toronto pursues Bellinger, a shorter-term deal may be the most likely path, although it’s something Bellinger’s camp doesn’t seem interested in.
Steven Kwan
Steven Kwan represents a different profile, closer to Donovan than Bellinger. While he won’t top the home run charts, Kwan is one of the most reliable contact hitters in baseball, an elite defensive outfielder, and his strikeout rate is consistently among the lowest in the league.
Steven Kwan cuts the runner at home! 🚀
That value comes with a significant price tag, one that wasn’t met at the last trade deadline when several teams, including the Blue Jays, were reportedly interested. Signing Kwan from the Guardians wouldn’t be easy, especially after Cleveland’s strong second half in 2025, which resulted in its third division title in four years. Any deal today would likely exceed the cost of acquiring Donovan and require a package built around at least one of the Jays’ top prospects (plus more).
Final thoughts
Ultimately, the Blue Jays’ next move depends on how aggressively they choose to press their advantage while keeping their competitive window wide open.
After an offseason that has already raised expectations for 2026 and stabilized the pitching staff, adding an impactful left-handed bat, specifically an outfielder, stands out as one of the clearest ways to take this roster to another level as long-term uncertainty looms in the outfield.
If this front office has shown anything in recent years, including this season, it is the willingness to strike decisively when the right opportunity presents itself. There’s reason to believe Toronto still isn’t done adding until 2026, and one of those options could be how they do that.
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