Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Avoids arbitration with Cardinals

The Cardinals and Donovan avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.8 million contract Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Donovan finished the 2025 season with a .287/.353/.422 batting line, 10 home runs and 32 doubles over 118 contests. He's a strong candidate to be traded before Opening Day, but if that doesn't happen, Donovan will open 2026 as the Cardinals' primary second baseman. He underwent abdominal surgery in October but is fully recovered.