CHICAGO聽鈥斅燭he timing of the clubhouse meeting and announcement of the Cardinals鈥 representative going to the All-Star Game left little time before Sunday鈥檚 scheduled first pitch for Brendan Donovan to talk with family. He texted his wife, parents and agent that he had been invited聽鈥 and then left his phone behind to get to work.
He didn鈥檛 return from the batting cage to check it even during the hourlong rain delay, so it sat for hours, buzzing and blooming with messages until he stood at his locker late Sunday and talked about the honor with reporters, still yet to talk with family.
鈥淕o call my mom,鈥 Donovan said. 鈥淚 know she鈥檒l be excited.鈥
The Cardinals鈥 leadoff hitter, utility fielder and emerging face of the franchise was voted by his peers onto the National League roster for the 95th Midsummer Classic, set for Truist Park in Atlanta this month. On the player ballots, Donovan finished second at second base to fan-vote winner Ketel Marte of Arizona, and pending the addition of a pitcher ahead of the July 15 game, Donovan will be only Cardinals representative. He also hopes to be the first Cardinal to appear in the game since 2023.
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Donovan said he does not expect the toe injury he鈥檚 been playing through to keep him from participating.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no guarantees, right?鈥 Donovan said. 鈥淐ould it be my last one? You never know, and I鈥檝e lived my life that I鈥檓 not going to take anything for granted. So long as (the Cardinals) are cool with it and I feel great, I would absolutely love to play in it.鈥
The serendipity of his first All-Star selection only adds to that pull.
Atlanta鈥檚 Truist Park is the nearest ballpark to his home, and his parents聽鈥 he explained while saying he needs to still call them聽鈥 can drive to the event.
Donovan鈥檚 first big league game as a fan was at Fenway Park, but he went most often to Turner Field, Atlanta鈥檚 previous ballpark closer to downtown. Donovan recalled Sunday night how he grew up listening to Chip Caray call Braves games just as Chip Caray now calls his games for FanDuel Sports Network and the Cardinals鈥 telecasts. The location of the game makes the honor of playing it all the better, Donovan explained.
鈥淭here are a couple of points in your career,鈥 he said late Sunday after the Cardinals鈥 11-0 loss to their rival Cubs at Wrigley Field. 鈥淗opefully I can play a long time, and I can look back and really enjoy those when I鈥檓 done playing. I wouldn鈥檛 want it any other way. I think it just makes it that much sweeter, and it doesn鈥檛 change anything. Just continue to be the person that I am each and every day.鈥
The Cardinals鈥 seventh-round pick out of David Freese鈥檚 alma mater, South Alabama, in the 2018 draft, Donovan drove his way through the minors with the combination of versatility in the field and ferocity at the plate. He followed a familiar path in the footsteps of players like Skip Schumaker and Tommy Edman to the majors, where versatility and dogged play became the way into the everyday lineup. Donovan debuted in 2022 and won a Gold Glove Award that season.
The Cardinals have more Rawlings Gold Glove Awards than any other franchise, and yet Donovan was the first rookie to win one for the club.
This season, Donovan has led the Cardinals and NL second baseman in a variety of offensive categories before a recent slump. His 22 doubles lead the Cardinals, and .296 average and .367 on-base percentage also pace the team for a .797 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). His 2.6 wins above replacement (WAR) while playing left field and second base also lead the team.
Leading was what the Cardinals expected from Donovan. Internally, as the team pivoted toward a focus on the future, there was discussion about how Donovan could rise into the role of leader for this next core of Cardinals. He has two more years of control, and while both sides expressed an interest late last season in a contract extension, those talks slowed during the offseason. He signed a one-year deal.
But even Sunday night, his phone buzzing behind him, he reaffirmed a wish to remain a Cardinal for as long as they鈥檒l have him.
鈥淚鈥檝e always said I want to win here,鈥 Donovan said. 鈥淗opefully we look back here in a couple of years and say we really built something special. And I think we showed some really good flashes of it this year as we continue to grow and develop as a group and grow together and create a culture that we can be proud of. I hope that I鈥檓 seen as part of it.鈥
It was then, after that comment, that he revealed he had not called anyone.
The Cardinals had a clubhouse meeting at 4:15 p.m. Chicago time to first tell Donovan, and it was during manager Oliver Marmol鈥檚 preamble that Donovan felt, 鈥淲ait, hey, he鈥檚 talking about me.鈥 That meeting came shortly before the announcement on ESPN of the National League reserves and less than an hour before scheduled first pitch. Donovan went straight from sending a few text messages to take his warmup swings in the batting cage. His selection was announced to the world while he was down in the cage preparing for the game.
So all the messages awaiting his return weren鈥檛 a surprise.
鈥淛udging by my phone,鈥 Donovan joked, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 public.鈥
In today鈥檚 10 AM 鈥淭en Hochman鈥 video, Ben Hochman discusses Cardinals optimism due to the upcoming schedule! Plus, a happy birthday shoutout to Jos茅 Jim茅nez! And as always, Hochman picks a random Cards card out of the hat!
