Would Donovan be too much to give up for MacKenzie Gore?

[Strummer Jones]

The Rays just cut 5 pitchers, Wonder if Bloom is familiar with any of them and might be interested in signing any of them?

I wouldn't. Those are the type of guys we need to stay away from. I'd have passing interest in Faedo, but a lot of those other guys seem like AAA filler.

[Adam2]

Gore is a high rotation lefty starter with two years remaining before FA. Would the Nationals even be interested?

washington would want more than a high end utility player for a 1,2 type starter. obviously

Some executives value some players higher than their BTV. Especially, if they fill a big need that might improve the team's chances to improve. Donovan seems highly respected around the league.

You should stick with your original plan of trading Jordan Walker for Bubba Chandler, and Phil Maton for Trey Yesavage.

my personal favorite was when he started a thread asking if the Pirates would be interested in Walker and Gorman for Skenes

[Carp4Cy]

Gore is a high rotation lefty starter with two years remaining before FA. Would the Nationals even be interested?

Bloom has clearly told you 2026 is a transition year in a rebuild. How does acquiring a pitcher with exactly as many years of control as Donovan advance that plan?

Also, per BTV:
Gore: 39.8
Donovan: 26.1

But hey, throw in Burleson (11.1) and they'd get pretty close (37.2). Whaddya say, Shadymaple?

I’m not sure that Gore is the right target but trading Donovan for an experienced proven veteran with control years is exactly the profile we should be going for. We want someone who can be extended without having to pay nine figures on the free agent market.

And for 2026 we can absolutely afford the salary with all the dry powder off the books since 2022.

Why would you care about getting an “experienced proven veteran” in 2026-2027 when he has just two years of control left and the Cardinals are in the midst of a rebuild? And why would Gore (or anyone else) agree to sign a below-market extension when he’s just two years away from free agency? I mean, that’s precisely the reason the Cardinals would be looking to trade Donovan in the first place.

No, it’s completely different. We trade Donovan because we have JJ W as our future second base. Gore or somebody likes him gives us a starter which we have a severe shortage of. we definitely do need to start extending the producing players at positions that we need. I would absolutely extend Donovan if we didn’t have multiple other options for second base because he is a success story and the kind of player you want to keep around.

[Shady]

Gore is a high rotation lefty starter with two years remaining before FA. Would the Nationals even be interested?

Bloom has clearly told you 2026 is a transition year in a rebuild. How does acquiring a pitcher with exactly as many years of control as Donovan advance that plan?

Also, per BTV:
Gore: 39.8
Donovan: 26.1

But hey, throw in Burleson (11.1) and they'd get pretty close (37.2). Whaddya say, Shadymaple?

I’m not sure that Gore is the right target but trading Donovan for an experienced proven veteran with control years is exactly the profile we should be going for. We want someone who can be extended without having to pay nine figures on the free agent market.

And for 2026 we can absolutely afford the salary with all the dry powder off the books since 2022.

Why would you care about getting an “experienced proven veteran” in 2026-2027 when he has just two years of control left and the Cardinals are in the midst of a rebuild? And why would Gore (or anyone else) agree to sign a below-market extension when he’s just two years away from free agency? I mean, that’s precisely the reason the Cardinals would be looking to trade Donovan in the first place.

No, it’s completely different. We trade Donovan because we have JJ W as our future second base. Gore or somebody likes him gives us a starter which we have a severe shortage of. we definitely do need to start extending the producing players at positions that we need. I would absolutely extend Donovan if we didn’t have multiple other options for second base because he is a success story and the kind of player you want to keep around.

I am intrigued by picking up someone like Gore for Donovan. You laid out the reasoning. As far as a Gore extension. Boras may be a problem. On the other hand, maybe that's why Gore may be more available now.

[ramfandan]

I think it may have been either Goold or Bernie that said this (sorry I can't cite which one ) but they anticipate Bloom to find a free agent starting pitcher who struggled in 2025 somewhat with a higher ERA than in his past. Sign him , get some starting innings out of the guy in this rebuild year hoping that he rebounds a bit , looks better in 2026 than he did in 2025 , and then at the trade deadline flip the guy to a pitcher needy team ( ie a contender who had starting pitcher injuries and need a back of the end rotation starter to finish the final couple months ) . Bloom then getting 2/3 of a season from the guy and then in turn getting some young prospect back in Aug. 2026 .

The thinking made sense to me as Bloom needs a starter or two and can get that plus a prospect or two for the future . The 'kill two birds with one stone' type situation.

[Shady]

I think it may have been either Goold or Bernie that said this (sorry I can't cite which one ) but they anticipate Bloom to find a free agent starting pitcher who struggled in 2025 somewhat with a higher ERA than in his past. Sign him , get some starting innings out of the guy in this rebuild year hoping that he rebounds a bit , looks better in 2026 than he did in 2025 , and then at the trade deadline flip the guy to a pitcher needy team ( ie a contender who had starting pitcher injuries and need a back of the end rotation starter to finish the final couple months ) . Bloom then getting 2/3 of a season from the guy and then in turn getting some young prospect back in Aug. 2026 .

The thinking made sense to me as Bloom needs a starter or two and can get that plus a prospect or two for the future . The 'kill two birds with one stone' type situation.

That's an interesting scenario. It would certainly demonstrate some creativity on Bloom's part.

[Shady]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. Comparable salaries and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

[Mort Gage]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. A comparable salary and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Burleson, Saggese, and Rom should get it done. Though I'd hate to give them the next Tony Gwynn and John Tudor.

[Shady]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. A comparable salary and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Burleson, Saggese, and Rom should get it done. Though I'd hate to give them the next Tony Gwynn and John Tudor.

That's a good one, Funnybunny. You are a hoot. LOL

[Shady]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. Comparable salaries and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Would the #2 trade candidate, Joe Ryan, be a better possibility than Gore in exchange for Donovan?

[NYCardsFan]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. Comparable salaries and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Would the #2 trade candidate, Joe Ryan, be a better possibility than Gore in exchange for Donovan?

Please stop. Try to get it through your thick head: the Cardinals are rebuilding. They’re not going to flip their best realistic trade asset for another player in his (very) late 20s who will be a free agent in two years.

[Basil Shabazz]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. Comparable salaries and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Would the #2 trade candidate, Joe Ryan, be a better possibility than Gore in exchange for Donovan?

Please stop. Try to get it through your thick head: the Cardinals are rebuilding. They’re not going to flip their best realistic trade asset for another player in his (very) late 20s who will be a free agent in two years.

If I could flip Donny for 2 years of Joe Ryan, I'd do it in a NY minute.

If Ryan continues on his trajectory, you can either offer him a contract or flip him at the '27 deadline for a pretty good haul to a contending team in need of TOR starter.

[rockondlouie]

Ideally C. Bloom can land an under age 25 major league starter w/at least four years of control left if he deals Donovan.

Possibly even a AAA starter ready to make the jump to MLB in 2026.

But dealing Donovan for a pitcher w/under three years of control makes no sense given (1) Donny is Bloom's best trade chip and (2) you could see that pitcher walk in free agency before the re-build reaches it's pay-off point if BDWJr fails to retain him.

[Basil Shabazz]

Isn't Gore essentially Libby?

[NYCardsFan]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. Comparable salaries and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Would the #2 trade candidate, Joe Ryan, be a better possibility than Gore in exchange for Donovan?

Please stop. Try to get it through your thick head: the Cardinals are rebuilding. They’re not going to flip their best realistic trade asset for another player in his (very) late 20s who will be a free agent in two years.

If I could flip Donny for 2 years of Joe Ryan, I'd do it in a NY minute.

If Ryan continues on his trajectory, you can either offer him a contract or flip him at the '27 deadline for a pretty good haul to a contending team in need of TOR starter.

Sure, because Ryan clearly is the more valuable asset of the two, which is precisely why the Twins would never make that trade straight-up. For purposes of discussion, I’m assuming teams (including the Twins) are rational—if we’re going to speculate on scenarios in which the Cardinals fleece other teams, everything’s on the table and the conversation goes off the rails. My point was that assuming reasonably rational pricing/behavior in the market, the Cardinals aren’t going to look for like-for-like pending FAs for Donovan given where they are in their competitive cycle.

[Basil Shabazz]

Gore is listed as the top trade candidate. Donvovan is #3. Comparable salaries and control match up. Maybe there is a trade match here. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... eason.html

Would the #2 trade candidate, Joe Ryan, be a better possibility than Gore in exchange for Donovan?

Please stop. Try to get it through your thick head: the Cardinals are rebuilding. They’re not going to flip their best realistic trade asset for another player in his (very) late 20s who will be a free agent in two years.

If I could flip Donny for 2 years of Joe Ryan, I'd do it in a NY minute.

If Ryan continues on his trajectory, you can either offer him a contract or flip him at the '27 deadline for a pretty good haul to a contending team in need of TOR starter.

Sure, because Ryan clearly is the more valuable asset of the two, which is precisely why the Twins would never make that trade straight-up. For purposes of discussion, I’m assuming the Twins (and other teams) are rational—if we’re going to speculate on scenarios in which the Cardinals fleece other teams, everything’s on the table and the conversation goes off the rails. My point was that assuming reasonably rational pricing/behavior in the market, the Cardinals aren’t going to look for like-for-like pending FAs for Donovan given where they are in their competitive cycle.

No offense intended, but if that was genuinely what you were trying to communicate from the start, it wasn’t communicated effectively. The way you presented it made it very difficult to interpret that as your intended message.