Mariners Front Office Completes Donovan Trade at State Capitol

Seattle executives finalize three-team deal while being honored by Washington state legislature

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

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The Seattle Mariners front office, including president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander, were in Olympia, Washington at the state capitol building when they received a text message from the Tampa Bay Rays' Chaim Bloom finalizing a trade to acquire utility player Brendan Donovan. Hollander had to leave the gallery and find a private room to coordinate the final details of the three-team deal with the Mariners' medical staff back in Seattle.

Why it matters

The Mariners have been pursuing Donovan, a versatile left-handed hitter, all offseason to bolster their lineup and roster flexibility. Completing the trade while being honored by the state legislature for the team's 2025 success adds an unusual and memorable twist to the transaction.

The details

The trade sent Donovan to the Mariners, third baseman Ben Williamson to the Tampa Bay Rays, and three prospects plus two draft picks to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Mariners gave up a highly-regarded switch-pitcher prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje, Williamson, outfielder Tai Peete, and a Competitive Balance Round B pick.

  • On Monday, February 3, 2026, the Washington State Senate was reading a resolution honoring the Mariners' 2025 season.
  • During the ceremony, Hollander received a text from Chaim Bloom finalizing the Donovan trade.

The players

Jerry Dipoto

The president of baseball operations for the Seattle Mariners.

Justin Hollander

The general manager of the Seattle Mariners.

Chaim Bloom

The president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Brendan Donovan

A versatile utility player acquired by the Mariners in the three-team trade.

Ben Williamson

A third baseman traded from the Mariners to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the deal.

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What they’re saying

“The coolest part of the day was sitting at the State Capitol while they were reading a resolution honoring the Mariners. Which really was something I had never before experienced. Then we got the deal done, which makes our team feel more complete.”

— Jerry Dipoto, President of Baseball Operations, Seattle Mariners (The Athletic)

“So many people came up to us and said, 'We'd love to get Brendan Donovan.' They thought I was kidding when I said, 'Working on it.'”

— Justin Hollander, General Manager, Seattle Mariners (The Athletic)

What’s next

The Mariners will now work to finalize the trade with the medical reviews and officially welcome Brendan Donovan to the team.

The takeaway

The Mariners' front office demonstrated their ability to stay focused on improving the team even in the midst of a celebratory event, highlighting their dedication to making the team better and their strong relationships with other teams around the league to pull off a complex three-team trade.