Now is the time for the Guardians to strike a trade for Brendan Donovan 

The Cleveland Guardians offseason has been defined by relief pitchers. Like, a lot of relief pitchers. 

And while those bullpen reinforcements were well-needed given the fact that Emmanuel Clase has likely thrown his last pitch ever for the Guardians, there is still clearly a huge hole in the Guardians’ lineup that needs to be addressed between now and Opening Day. 

St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan has stood out as one of the top options to fill that hole for most of the offseason, and  it looks like the clock could be ticking on their chances to get him in a trade.

Over the weekend, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom spoke to reporters at the team’s fan fest and said that he would “ideally” like to have Donovan’s situation wrapped up by the start of spring training. 

Although there’s been a lot of public posturing about Donovan’s trade market, Bloom going on record about Donovan’s timeline adds some added pressure to potential suitors like the Guardians. 

The Guardians are going to need to move quick if they want to trade for Brendan Donovan 

While Bloom didn’t outright say “hey we’re looking to trade Brendan Donovan,” his comments have added a much-needed deadline to his trade talks. And the Guardians should be in the thick of those trade talks given how easily he could fix a big hole in the team’s lineup. 

He’s a utility savant who has a Gold Glove and an All-Star nod under his belt and has mashed double-digit home runs in three straight seasons. He’s best suited as a right fielder (which was a black hole for the Guardians last season) and a second baseman (which wasn’t much better). 

Donovan hit a career-best .287 last season with 32 doubles, 42 walks and just 67 strikeouts while appearing at three different positions. 

That versatility would also give him a chance to stick on the Guardians’ roster after Travis Bazzana or Khalil Watson is recalled since he’d be able to move around the diamond as opposed to being stuck behind either rookie. 

One of the reasons the Guardians’ front office hasn’t added any position players this offseason is because Chris Antonetti wants to give the team’s young players as much of a chance to get everyday playing time, but Donovan wouldn’t stand in their way the same way a less-flexible addition would. 

Donovan’s trade talks have been a roller coaster (the latest buzz prior to Bloom’s update was that the Royals weren’t going to trade for him), but it seems like he’s available for the right price. The Guardians hoard prospects like no one’s business, but it likely wouldn’t take a ton to wiggle him away from the rebuilding Cardinals. 

Donovan wouldn’t solve all the Guardians’ problems, but he’d be a welcome addition to a lineup looking for a shot in the arm. The clock’s ticking.