Astros fans may hate how Brendan Donovan rumors are trending now

There was a time when St. Louis Cardinals standout Brendan Donovan was on the Houston Astros' radar. Unfortunately, there's been a renewed interest throughout the league, and it would seem that Houston's aspirations of landing Donovan have all but evaporated.

The Cardinals star has quickly become one of the most desirable trade candidates remaining this offseason, due in part to his defensive versatility, affordable contract, and St. Louis' willingness to move him in order to accelerate their rebuilding efforts.

As such, Houston is now on the outside looking in. The Astros have little to offer the Cardinals in terms of prospect capital — something new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is seeking.

The Astros' meager chances to trade for Donovan will undoubtedly cause some frustration among the Houston faithful, but moreover, one of the top teams in the AL West may be best positioned to secure the All-Star's services.

Mariners emerge as frontrunner in Brendan Donovan sweepstakes while Astros are no longer in the mix

According to reports from The Athletic (subscription required), the Seattle Mariners have emerged as one of two frontrunners for Donovan. The San Francisco Giants are also said to be in the mix, and the Boston Red Sox have entered the picture as well. If the Astros are unable to acquire Donovan — and there's nothing to signal they will — the last team Houston fans want to see make a deal is Seattle.

The Athletic was quick to point out, however, that no deal between the Mariners and Cardinals is imminent. In fact, St. Louis has been so fixated on shedding the big contracts of Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras during the early-going of the offseason, that it appears the Cards have kept the Donovan trade talks on the back burner for now.

But with those bloated salaries now off the books, fans should expect to see Bloom attempt to get a haul for Donovan before spring training begins. With an expected salary of just $5.4 million, and two years of team control remaining, there are few options on the trade (or free agent) market who offer as much upside as Donovan.

While the Astros are likely out of the race, the fanbase is hoping the same holds true for the Mariners. Neither team has made much of a splash yet this winter, and the Astros fanbase is hoping their AL West foe continues to strike out.