Mariners make long-awaited Brendan Donovan trade thanks to unexpected tactic

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrates his double against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn ImagesThe Pacific Northwest's long regional nightmare is finally over. Brendan Donovan is going to be a Seattle Mariner, and the trade that made it happen feels like the best possible kind of bait-and-switch.

Mariners fans had been hoping for (and certainly reading plenty about) a potential Donovan trade for what felt like months. That's probably because the game of chicken between the Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals did last for…