MLB rumors: Diamondbacks double down on Ketel Marte trade plans; Brendan Donovan talks continue
Here are Sunday's top MLB rumors and transactions
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1 min read
Major League Baseball's offseason continues to wind down, with just over three weeks to go until pitchers and catchers report for camp across sites in Florida and Arizona. There's still some business to be conducted during that interim period, with left-hander Framber Valdez, outfielder Cody Bellinger, and third baseman Eugenio Suárez standing out as the best remaining free agents. Below, CBS Sports has compiled all of Sunday's top murmurs and moves in one spot for your viewing convenience.
D-backs reiterate no Marte trade
Fewer than 10 days have passed since Diamondbacks executive Mike Hazen ruled out the possibility of trading All-Star infielder Ketel Marte. That hasn't stopped reporters from asking if Hazen could reconsider in light of infielders Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette finding new homes, but Hazen doesn't sound like someone who is entertaining the possibility.
"We've already engaged in that process. I said at the time that I set the deadline for a reason, to avoid this," Hazen told MLB.com.
Marte, 32, is under contract through at least the 2030 season and has regularly been one of Arizona's most productive players. Yet he reportedly angered the clubhouse with his availability last summer, fueling speculation that he could be on the move this offseason. The D-backs were rumored to have interest in signing Bregman themselves (before he inked with the Cubs) and then trading Marte. With that option off the table, Hazen seems content to roll with Marte to begin the 2026 campaign.
Mariners, Giants among those interested in Donovan
The Cardinals have had a busy offseason under new top executive Chaim Bloom, trading away right-hander Sonny Gray, third baseman Nolan Arenado, and first baseman Willson Contreras. Utility player Brendan Donovan figures to join that group at some point before Opening Day.
Indeed, Donovan continues to draw interest from a collection of teams that includes the Mariners, Giants, Red Sox, and Royals, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Donovan, 29, is a popular target thanks to his above-average stick (he's never posted an OPS+ below 114) and defensive versatility. He has an additional season of team control remaining, too, making him a potential multi-year fix for whichever team employs him.
