The Cleveland Guardians need offense, and that’s not a new phenomenon; the bigger unknown is where and what position Cleveland chooses to upgrade to add some more pop to the lineup. 

With that in mind, ESPN’s Jeff Passan drew up one “perfect move” for the Guardians this offseason, and that’s trading for St. Louis Cardinals super-utilitarian, Brendan Donovan.

Donovan is a near-perfect fit for the Guardians. To start, he would absolutely be an upgrade for Cleveland’s lineup. 

During the 2025 season, Donovan recorded a .287/.353/.422 slash line with an OPS of .775, including 32 doubles and 10 home runs. He would immediately be the Guardians' solution to the two-hole in their lineup, right behind Steven Kwan and in front of Jose Ramirez, which was an issue at times last season.

Donovan’s strong offensive season even helped him earn his first All-Star nod in his career.

It’s not just the offense that makes Donovan a great fit in Cleveland, though. His defensive versatility is also a big plus. 

The 28-year-old spent most of his time last season at second base, but also made appearances at shortstop and left field, and has appeared at third base and first base earlier in his career. 

Stephen Vogt and the Guardians certainly appreciate their versatile players. Just look at how much playing time Daniel Schneemann, David Fry, and even Angel Marteinez received so much playing time the last two seasons. 

 As Passan also mentioned, Donovan would be able to keep second base warm for Travis Bazzana, and still have a role with the team once Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect inevitably makes his MLB debut.

As for a trade, adding Donovan wouldn’t come cheap for the Guardians, considering the strong season he just had and the fact that he has two more years of team control before becoming a free agent. That said, now is the time for the Guardians to make more of a win-now move, and adding a versatile fielder with a plus bat certainly falls into that category. 

If the Guardians and Cardinals can team up for a trade centered around Donovan, it could be one of the best win-win moves of the offseason.

As Passan wrote, “It just so happens the Cardinals, who will spend the winter in trade mode, have a player who can handle second base until Travis Bazzana is ready and then shift to a corner outfielder or even spend some time at shortstop.”

Checking in on Donovan’s availability should be one of the tasks on Chris Antonetti’s to-do list.