Cubs may benefit most from hated rival trading All-Star infielder to Mariners

With the Chicago Cubs not directly closing the door on a potential trade of Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw, the latest move by the St. Louis Cardinals may have given them added leverage. As part of a three-team trade, the Cardinals are sending All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners.

There was a point earlier this offseason when the Hoerner trade idea was connected to the rumors circling Donovan. Shortly after the Cubs signed Alex Bregman, ESPN's Jeff Passan suggested that both Donovan and Hoerner were being pursued by the San Francisco Giants.

Over the weekend, the Giants signed Luis Arraez, likely taking them out of the bidding for both Hoerner and Donovan. Of course, the Mariners were a common suitor mentioned for Hoerner, so the trade for Donovan likely eliminates another suitor for the Cubs' Gold-Glove second baseman.

On one hand, Donovan's trade is likely more confirmation that Hoerner is staying put. Given how Jed Hoyer and Co. operate, it makes sense that they've listened when teams called to express interest in the 28-year-old infielder and will continue to do so.

On the other hand, Donovan's trade could push the Cubs closer to a trade of Matt Shaw.

After losing Alex Bregman to the Cubs, the Boston Red Sox are still looking for an infield upgrade. Boston never made a strong offer to Eugenio Suárez, and there's been a growing impression that they could look to the trade market.

While scouring the trade market, the Red Sox are believed to be prioritizing defense over finding a power hitter. In other words, infielders like Donovan, Shaw, and Hoerner make more sense for the Red Sox instead of former Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes.

Cubs just got a trade advantage after rival moved All-Star to Mariners

It's why the Cubs are in an advantageous position.

In theory, Hoerner now becomes the best infielder potentially available on the trade market. The Cubs are seeking a return similar to the one they sent to the Houston Astros for Kyle Tucker, and for that reason, it's hard to see a trade happening anytime soon.

If not Hoerner, Shaw will be an incredibly attractive trade target for teams in search of infield help. His impressive second half in 2025 proved that he still has a relatively high ceiling as a regular, and he is under team control through the 2031 season. The Cubs don't need to trade Shaw, but with Donovan no longer available on the trade market, a team like the Red Sox could get desperate.