Another familiar Yankees trade rumor just surfaced again this offseason

The New York Yankees are believed to be among the teams closely monitoring the St. Louis Cardinals' fire sale, with All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan being of particular interest. The Cardinals have a new president of baseball operations in the form of Chaim Bloom, who is looking to clean house in St. Louis and start building a brighter future.

With Donovan's age (29) not aligning with that future (which is at least a few years away) and with his stock being at an all-time high following a career year, Bloom is reportedly interested in trading Donovan, according to new intel from Ken Rosenthal of the The Athletic.

"The St. Louis Cardinals are not entering a full-fledged rebuild under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, but the club will entertain trade offers for several star players as it shifts its focus to player development and homegrown talent," Rosenthal wrote (subscription required).

"They ... will look to trade from their surplus of left-handed hitters, a group that includes Brendan Donovan," Rosenthal continued.

Donovan hit .287/.353/.422 in 2025 with 10 homers and 50 RBI in just 118 games for the Cardinals, making his first All-Star team along the way. Donovan missed most of August and September with a groin injury that he addressed with surgery in October, and he's expected to be good to go for 2026 spring training, per Rosenthal. But due to Donovan's trade value being higher than it probably ever will be again, the Cardinals are wide open to a trade.

"The Cardinals do not expect to be a fully competitive team within (the two remaining years of Donovan's deal), so it would make sense to maximize Donovan when his value is high," Rosenthal wrote.

Enter the New York Yankees.

Yankees believed to be top trade destination for Cardinals All-Star Brendan Donovan

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand walked away from the MLB General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas with information linking Donovan to the Yankees, as well as three other clubs.

"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 wrote. "The Yankees, Dodgers, Royals and Guardians are among the teams believed to be potential landing spots for Donovan."

This is far from the first time Donovan has been linked to the Yanks, and there are multiple reasons for that. Given Donovan's defensive flexibility, the Yankees wouldn't have trouble finding room for him in the lineup. Third baseman Ryan McMahon's inconsistent bat could lead to less playing time, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. can also be moved around the infield when necessary.

Donovan's age makes him a bad fit for St. Louis' timeline but a perfect fit with the Yankees, who should be in championship-window mode until Aaron Judge retires.