The New York Yankees could use a pest in their lineup. They have the big boppers in Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, and Giancarlo Stanton. It’s three guys with over 100 home runs between them who can send a ball a long way. What they don’t have is a guy at the top or bottom of their lineup that can wear a pitcher out, spoiling every pitch thrown their way.
It is why a trade for someone like Brendan Donovan could be an intriguing one for the Yankees. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, they are one of a few teams interested in the St. Louis Cardinals’ second baseman, who has experience all over the field.
“Infielder Brendon Donovan, who is arbitration-eligible for two more years, is also drawing a lot of interest and seems likely to be traded,” Feinsand writes. “The Yankees, Dodgers, Royals, and Guardians are among the teams believed to be potential landing spots for Donovan.”
There’s a lot to like about Donovan. He’s a high on-base guy who owns a .361 OBP in his career. The Yankees used Trent Grisham as a leadoff man all year, and with him likely headed to free agency, Donovan could fill that role.
Granted, Grisham and Donovan bring two distinct skill sets to the table. Grisham is now a power threat with a prolific 14.1% walk rate, which was one of the best in baseball. Donovan doesn’t have much of a power game, and his 8.2% walk rate isn’t quite as high as Grisham’s, but Donovan is a tough at-bat.
Donovan has a 25% chase rate, 13.4% whiff rate, and a 13% K rate. This is coupled with a .285 expected batting average.
The one issue with Donovan, if the Yankees do trade for him, is where that puts Jazz Chisholm Jr.? Chisholm had an 8 OAA at second base in 2025, ranking him among the best defensive second basemen in the sport. Unless general manager Brian Cashman surprises everybody by trading Chisholm, they won’t be moving him to make room for Donovan.
Donovan has minimal experience at third, but that is currently taken by Ryan McMahon, who has a vaccum for a glove at the hot corner. McMahon would make the most sense to be moved in a trade, but who outside of the Colorado Rockies and Cashman thinks it’s worth paying $16 million for a glove-first third baseman?
Donovan also has a little experience in left field. In 817 innings in 2024, he was a neutral defender in left. He had a 0 OAA at the position. Last season, he played in 152 innings there and had a -2 OAA.
As the roster is currently constructed, Donovan isn’t a great defensive fit unless somebody is moved, and the Yankees should be adding, not subtracting. A lot can happen between now and when pitchers and catchers report a few days before Valentine’s Day, so whether a Donovan move pans out remains to be seen.
If the Yankees do go out and trade for him, where would he play, and how would the Yankees manipulate the roster to make it work? The one thing that makes the most sense for now is left field, and it is hardly his strongest position. If they do lose Cody Bellinger and decide to sit out the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, he would be a good add, though.
The Seattle Seahawks suffered a 21-19 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams, dropping to 7-3. But even worse, rookie guard Grey Zabel was forced to leave the game with a knee injury.
Head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t hitting the panic button just yet. But he is waiting to make a true declaration once all the information is available, via Greg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune.
“I’ll say it’s optimistic right now,” Macdonald said. “Initial news is really positive.”
“But let’s get out of the fog here,” he concluded.
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Zabel suffered his injury with just over two minutes remaining in the game. If he were to be out long-term, it would be a major blow for the Seahawks. But if Macdonald’s early intuition proves right, perhaps Seattle fans can soon breathe a sign of relief.
The left guard has started all 10 game for the Seahawks, playing 98 percent of the snaps. Even as a rookie, Zabel has already entrenched himself as a difference maker of the present and future. There is still room for improvement, as evident by his 49.3 grade from Pro Football Focus.
But Seattle has allowed a league-low 10 sacks, something is clearly working. The Seahawks want Zabel protecting Sam Darnold and will be carefully monitoring his knee injury throughout the week.
Whether Zabel can play or not won’t change Sam Darnold’s ability to limit turnovers. His four interceptions against the Rams proved extremely costly. He’ll certainly feel more comfortable in the pocket with Zabel protecting him. But the left guard can’t do it on his own.