St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan won't be in Thursday's lineup for the first game of the team's doubleheader with the hosting Chicago White Sox. Teammate Nolan Gorman is manning the keystone and batting fifth in his absence. The Cardinals are likely just managing his workload as Donovan returned from a sprained big toe on Sunday and went 6-for-9 over the ensuing two contests. He's been exceptional in 2025, slashing a strong .323/.388/.451 with four home runs, 21 doubles, 27 RBI, and 38 runs scored. The South Alabama alum has been stellar against right-handed pitching thus far, sporting a .361 average and .911 OPS against them.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (toe) is back at the keystone and is batting leadoff for Sunday's series finale in Milwaukee against the division-rival Brewers and right-hander Quinn Priester. It will be Donovan's first game action since Tuesday after he was diagnosed with a sprained left big toe. The 28-year-old utility man will wear a carbon-fiber orthotic in his shoe going forward, but it remains to be seen if it will negatively impact his production at the plate. Despite having one of the slowest bats in baseball, Donovan has hit .310 (77-for-248) on the year and has an expected batting average of .304 thanks to the consistent contact he makes. There's little fantasy upside otherwise, though, as the German infielder doesn't really provide power or speed. He has one hit and an RBI in three career at-bats versus Priester.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman/outfielder Brendan Donovan (toe) was not in the lineup for the team's game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. However, Donovan will return Sunday if he's able to get through batting practice Saturday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. Donovan has missed four games in a row with a sprained big toe on his left foot, but the Cardinals have been reluctant to place him on the 10-day injured list. The versatile 28-year-old has been one of the Cardinals' best players this season. He's slashing .310/.379/.440 with four home runs, 26 RBI, and 35 runs scored over 278 plate appearances.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (toe) remains out of the starting lineup as the series against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers continues on Friday. Nolan Gorman will receive another start at the keystone and will bat seventh against Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta. Donovan is dealing with a sprained left big toe and will miss his third straight game. The 28-year-old utility man doesn't think he'll land on the injured list and was able to get in a light workout before Thursday's series opener in Milwaukee. He's hoping to return to the lineup this weekend, and the Cardinals are going to give him until Tuesday before considering putting him on the IL. Gorman has struggled all year and will not be a popular DFS sleeper against Peralta, who he has hit .333 against with one RBI in nine career at-bats.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (toe) remains out of action for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Nolan Gorman will get another start at second base and will hit seventh against Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who is making his MLB debut. Donovan is dealing with a sprained capsule in the joint of his left big toe and will miss his second straight game, but he doesn't believe it's a situation that will land him on the injured list. The 28-year-old could return to the lineup at some point this weekend in Milwaukee. Gorman continues to be a disappointment for the Cardinals offensively and enters Thursday's action hitting just .220 (24-for-109) with three homers, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored. However, he's batting .368 (7-for-19) with two homers, a double and five RBI in eight games in June.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (toe) said his MRI exam showed a sprained capsule in the joint of his left big toe. Donovan added that trainers "threw the book at it" on Wednesday in terms of treatment, and he's not concerned it's an injured list situation, calling that a "worst-case scenario." The 28-year-old was pulled from Tuesday's loss against the Toronto Blue Jays and sat out of their loss in the series finale on Wednesday. It's possible he could miss the first couple games of the series against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, which starts on Thursday, but fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned. Nolan Gorman should play second for St. Louis for as long as Donovan remains out. Donovan has hit a strong .310 (77-for-248) on the year, but he's gone 7-for-35 (.200) with 10 K's in nine games so far in June. The contact-oriented hitter doesn't offer much besides a high average in fantasy.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (toe) is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. Nolan Gorman is starting at the keystone and will hit seventh against Blue Jays left-hander Eric Lauer. Donovan was pulled from Tuesday's loss to Toronto with discomfort in his left big toe, but he said he's not too worried about it. It's possible the 28-year-old could return for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers on the road. Donovan ranks 11th in all of baseball with his .310 average (77-for-248), but his fantasy upside is limited because of his lack of speed and power. He's added only four home runs, 26 RBI, 35 runs scored and three stolen bases for the Cards in 64 games so far in 2025. Donovan hit a career-best 14 long balls in 2024 and hasn't had over five steals in his three MLB seasons.UPDATE: The Cardinals are awaiting MRI results on Donovan's toe.

St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan (toe) exited Tuesday's 10-9 loss to the Blue Jays in the ninth inning due to "left-toe discomfort." Donovan, who batted third and played left field, went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He was also hit by a pitch. Donovan explained after the game that his toe had started bothering him during the game, and while he wanted to finish out the game, the team felt it was best to replace him defensively in the ninth inning. He did downplay the discomfort, but fantasy managers should keep an eye on the team's lineups in the coming days. The 28-year-old has had a solid overall season offensively, slashing .310/.379/.440 with four home runs, 26 RBI, and three stolen bases in 278 plate appearances.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (hip) is back at second base and is batting third for the Cardinals in Wednesday's road contest against the Baltimore Orioles and left-hander Cade Povich at Camden Yards. Donovan is back a day after being scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup with tightness in his hip. The 28-year-old German native ranks seventh in all of baseball with his .328 batting average (66-for-201). He comes into Wednesday's game with only three home runs, though, adding 22 RBI, 29 runs scored and three stolen bases in his 201 at-bats. While Donovan makes a lot of contact and hits in a prime lineup spot, he won't be as attractive in DFS lineups in his return against a left-handed pitcher. The lefty hitter has gone 15-for-63 (.238) with a home run and five RBI in his 68 plate appearances against southpaws in 2025.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (hip) has been scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards due to hip tightness. However, per manager Oliver Marmol, Donovan is expected to return by Wednesday. Nolan Gorman will enter the lineup and play second base while batting seventh against Orioles right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. It's not a serious injury, but the 28-year-old Donovan will retreat to the bench after starting the last 29 games. Fantasy managers will want to get him back into their starting lineups for Wednesday's contest. Gorman, a former first-rounder in 2018, hasn't been able to put it together yet at the plate, going 16-for-85 (.188) with only one home run, nine RBI and 12 runs scored. He has six hits in 32 at-bats in May with an RBI and nine strikeouts and he has never faced Sugano in his career.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (rib) is back at second base and is hitting third for Friday's series opener at Busch Stadium against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Chad Patrick. Donovan will return to the lineup after missing the last two games earlier this week after one of his ribs popped out of place. It sounds playful, but the 28-year-old utility man is ready to go for the weekend series against Milwaukee and should be returned to fantasy lineups. Although the German infielder/outfielder has never faced Patrick, he's been one of the most productive hitters through the first month of the 2025 season. Donovan enters Friday's game slashing .356/.392/.533 with a .925 OPS, three homers, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored and three stolen bases. He's not going to give you much power, but fantasy managers need to ride his hot streak while it lasts.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports that infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (rib) is expected to return to the team's starting lineup on Friday for the series opener against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. A displaced rib kept Donovan out of the starting lineup for the final two games of this week's series against the Atlanta Braves, but with a scheduled day off on Friday, the 28-year-old should be good to go to return on Friday. Fantasy managers will want to check to make sure Donovan is back in there, but if he is, he should be returned to your lineups after his strong start to the 2025 campaign. He's among the league leaders in batting average (.356) in the early going with 32 hits in 90 at-bats, three home runs, 13 RBI, three steals and 14 runs scored. The Cards are scheduled to face Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick in the series opener on Friday at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan (rib) is out of the lineup for a second straight day for Wednesday's series finale against the hosting Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Nolan Gorman is starting at second base again and is hitting third against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder. Donovan is dealing with a rib that popped out of place on Tuesday morning, but he's being considered day-to-day and isn't expected to need to be placed on the injured list. With a scheduled day off on Thursday, fantasy managers will be hoping that the hot-hitting 28-year-old will be ready for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. Donovan has been one of the best hitters in the early going in 2025, batting .356 (32-for-90) with three homers, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored and three stolen bases in his first 23 games. Gorman has hit a pedestrian .250 with a homer and seven RBI in his 36 at-bats.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that infielder Brendan Donovan (rib) was scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup against the Atlanta Braves because one of his ribs popped out of place on Tuesday morning. He will be unavailable on Tuesday and his availability for Wednesday is also in question, but Marmol said it's unlikely that Donovan will need to go on the injured list. Nolan Gorman is starting at second base on Tuesday and is hitting in the three-hole against Braves right-handed opener Scott Blewett. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Wednesday to see if the 28-year-old Donovan is back in action. He's currently third in MLB with a .356 batting average (32-for-90) with three home runs, 13 RBI, three stolen bases and 14 runs scored, so hopefully his injury doesn't get him out of rhythm when he returns. Gorman has never faced Blewett in his career.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI in the Cardinals' 8-3 win on Monday night at Busch Stadium. Donovan has moved all over the field this season and started Monday at shortstop before moving to second base later in the game. Wherever he has played defensively, the 28-year-old has brought good offensive production this season, hitting .391 over his first 16 games of the year with five doubles, two home runs, four walks, a stolen base, and a .427 wOBA. His increased production is backed up by a 50.9% hard-hit rate, according to Statcast. The versatile utilityman should continue to get plenty of work for the Cardinals and is a good fantasy option in all formats while he's so locked in at the plate.

According to John Denton of MLB.com, the St. Louis Cardinals and infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan could not come to a long-term agreement before Thursday's arbitration deadline. Earlier this week, it was reported that both sides were inching towards a long-term deal but were unable to finalize it. The 27-year-old has spent his entire three-year major league career in St. Louis. Last season, he held a .278/.342/.417 line with 14 home runs and five stolen bases. He showed an elite eye at the plate with a stellar 12.4% K rate and a 15.1% whiff rate. Fantasy managers should expect Donovan to operate as the team's starting second baseman in 2025 but could also see time in the outfield. In addition, he may eventually be shifted to the hot corner with Nolan Arenado's name on the trade block.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado and infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan will both retreat to the bench for Thursday's series finale at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. Jose Fermin is handling the hot corner and batting eighth, while rookie Thomas Saggese starts at second base and is hitting sixth against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. Neither Fermin nor Saggese have ever faced Freeland in their careers. Donovan will get the day off after starting in each of the team's last 12 games. Fermin has done little at the plate in 63 at-bats this year, going 9-for-63 (.143) with no homers, three RBI and two stolen bases. Saggese, meanwhile, was recently called up for the first time and has gone 8-for-38 (.211) with a homer, two doubles and four RBI in his first 14 major-league games for the Red Birds.

St. Louis Cardinals infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (foot) is starting at second base and is batting leadoff on Tuesday at Busch Stadium against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and rookie right-hander Rhett Lowder. Donovan will return to the top of the Red Birds' batting order against the Reds after missing the previous two games due to a foot infection. There was some worry that the 27-year-old utility man might need a stint on the injured list, but he appears fine for now and will have some DFS appeal as a low-cost sleeper on Tuesday at the top of the lineup. Shortstop Masyn Winn is getting a day off, which has allowed Donovan to hit leadoff for the first time in a month. The left-handed-hitting German lacks notable speed or pop, but he's gone 7-for-20 (.350) with two doubles in five games so far in the month of September.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Brendan Donovan went 2-for-5 with a home run, a single, and three RBI in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday evening to lead the Cardinals to a victory. The 27-year-old launched a solo shot in the fifth inning and then knocked a two-run single in the ninth to score Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras. After going 0-for-4 in the opening game of the doubleheader, Donovan got himself right back on track in the nightcap. The South Alabama Product has been swinging a hot bat since the start of July with an excellent .346/.414/.423 line. Donovan has been used as a utility defender and should always have a spot in the starting nine due to his defensive flexibility.

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 9-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. He blasted a solo shot off Giants relieve Luke Jackson in the bottom of the seventh inning to put the Cardinals up 8-4. His home run traveled 422 feet with an exit velocity of 107.4 mph. The 27-year-old has now homered in three of his last four games. He is hitting .458 (11-for-24) with three home runs, eight RBI, and three runs scored over his previous five games. Donovan is slashing .262/.329/.415 with eight home runs, 37 RBI, and 34 runs scored in 70 games. Fantasy managers should continue to start Donovan in all league formats while he's on this torrid stretch.