3 sensible St. Louis Cardinals trade targets for KC Royals

The Kansas City Royals’ offseason offers an intriguing case study for baseball minds. While the team’s willingness to spend is still developing, it’s clearly present, as evidenced by the recent signing of Michael Wacha. Still, the Royals don’t have a deep pool of prospects to leverage in trade talks, with many holding more value to Kansas City than to other organizations. Combined with heightened expectations after a 30-win improvement, these factors place the Royals in a unique position within the offseason hierarchy, one that demands creativity as the team shapes their 2025 roster.

The Royals can’t outspend or out-trade most teams, or even come close in either category. Instead, they need calculated gambles — moves that might be routine for other franchises but could be transformative for Kansas City. Could the Royals turn to their sister club across the state for help?

If the St. Louis Cardinals are open to the idea, here are three potential options to address the Royals' needs, even if they come at a hefty price.

Nolan Arenado, 3B

This offseason's free-agent market at third base leaves a bit to be desired. Sure, longtime Houston Astros player Alex Bregman is going to be paid handsomely, but behind him, there aren't a lot of options. Kansas City could gamble on bounce-back candidates like Jorge Polanco or Yoán Moncada, but those are just two of many short-term options at the position.

If the Royals want to make a sure-fire improvement at the hot corner and make a big splash, could they target third baseman Nolan Arenado?

A 10-time Gold Glove winner and eight-time All-Star, Arenado has been one of MLB’s premier third basemen for over a decade. He established himself as a force with the Colorado Rockies throughout the 2010s, posting an impressive .890 OPS and 40.1 bWAR across eight seasons. However, as Colorado struggled to field competitive teams, Arenado’s prime years were spent on losing rosters. The Rockies ultimately traded him to the Cardinals in a blockbuster deal, and Arenado has largely lived up to expectations.

Arenado was a prime NL MVP candidate in 2022, delivering a 7.7 bWAR season with a .293/.358/.533 slash line. However, his offensive production has declined over the past two seasons, hitting several career lows since his rookie year in 2013. Despite a 102 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR in 2024, Arenado remains a valuable player — just not one who fully justifies the price tag of his contract.

Arenado wouldn’t come cheap, but his contract isn’t an unmanageable burden. The 33-year-old is under contract for three more seasons, with $74 million owed during that span. Thanks to the Rockies covering $5 million annually in 2025 and 2026, St. Louis is responsible for $64 million — about $20 million per year. By modern MLB standards, that’s a fair price for a star at his position, even one past his prime. The Cardinals could sweeten the deal by absorbing more of Arenado’s contract, but that would likely require the acquiring team to part with more prospect capital.

The Cardinals aren’t in a position to trade Nolan Arenado for pennies on the dollar, but they appear open to the possibility. Earlier this month, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the team was gauging trade interest in the star third baseman before initiating discussions with Arenado about a potential deal. It’s a challenging situation for St. Louis, but a reshuffling front office and back-to-back disappointing seasons signal that change may be on the horizon for the storied franchise.

Still, Kansas City would have several hoops to jump through to make this trade happen. First, they’d need to convince Arenado to waive his no-trade clause by proving they’re serious about contending and making a deep postseason run. Next, the Royals would also need to part with valuable prospects, as Arenado will attract significant interest on the trade market.

With a clear need at third base and limited options in free agency, exploring a trade is the next logical step for Kansas City. To get something, you have to give something — but landing Arenado would do wonders for the Royals' outlook in 2025.

Brendan Donovan, UTL

If St. Louis wants to maximize its strengths and pursue more pitching power or prospect value for 2025, infield depth is likely the area to trade from. With Jordan Walker at third base, Thomas Saggese at second, and hopes for Nolan Gorman to finally take that next step, the Cardinals' infield picture for 2026 and beyond seems set. But if next season started today, utilityman Brendan Donovan deserves a spot in the lineup and on the field.

So, if the Cardinals wants to prioritize its internal prospects at their natural positions, why not consider moving on from one of the game's best utility players?

The 213th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Donovan has developed into a highly valuable MLB player. Across three seasons in St. Louis, he’s accumulated 7.4 fWAR, playing multiple positions while adjusting his approach at the plate each year. Donovan started his career as a walk-heavy lefty, drawing a free pass 12.8% of the time and reaching a career-high .394 on-base percentage in 2022. By 2024, he'd evolved into a different — but still effective — hitter, shifting his approach without losing his overall impact.

Donovan hit a career-high 14 home runs in 2024, sacrificing some contact for power but still managing a career-best 12.4% strikeout rate alongside a 7.2% walk rate. His .278/.342/.417 slash line is solid, and he hit all over the Cardinals’ lineup. While he saw plenty of time as the team’s leadoff man, his 99 wRC+ and .314 on-base percentage kept him from standing out in that role. Even so, his 2024 numbers were a slight dip in what has otherwise been steady production when the Cardinals have needed him at the top of the order.

At 27 and entering his first year of arbitration, Brendan Donovan’s value could soar after a strong 2025 season. The South Alabama alum is already deserving of an extension, though the Cardinals may hesitate to commit. Kansas City could face similar concerns, but Donovan’s skill set aligns well with several of the Royals’ clubhouse needs.

The Royals have made it clear that on-base ability is a bigger priority than home run power heading into the offseason. That focus makes it easy to see how Brendan Donovan fits into their plans. Manager Matt Quatraro values positional versatility, and Donovan brings plenty of it. He can play all four infield spots competently and spent most of last season in left field. Defensively, Donovan could shore up multiple positions while contributing an above-average bat. Acquiring him wouldn’t come cheap, but it would signal Kansas City’s commitment to competing in 2025 and beyond.