Brendan Donovan enjoying best start of career with Mariners after Cardinals stint

Brendan Donovan came out swinging in the Seattle Mariners’ opening series of the 2026 MLB season, collecting six hits in 14 at-bats. It’s been a strong start, but his batting average after those games stands out even more, surpassing all of his previous season openings with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Donovan hit .429 against the Cleveland Guardians in the Mariners’ first series of the year, which ended in a 2-2 split. That mark represents the best start of his career, topping his .364 opening from the 2025 season and every other start he had with the Cardinals dating back to 2022.

Through those first four games, Donovan’s .429 average hasn’t just been impressive, it’s also placed him inside the top ten of multiple batting leaderboards. Even Aaron Judge hasn’t managed that yet, as he’s currently locked in an early home run race with Chase DeLauter of the Guardians.

Donovan proving to be an offensive gem

Donovan has already delivered two home runs for Seattle and is projected by Baseball Reference to finish with 13 in the 2026 season. In just 14 at-bats, he’s added four RBIs and struck out only four times, showing a disciplined and intelligent approach at the plate for the former Cardinals utility man.

Among the various leaderboards he’s climbing, one of the most notable is Runs Created, where Baseball Reference has him tied for sixth with Munetaka Murakami at seven runs. That kind of production is key for a team looking to stack wins early in the season.

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Another important metric early on is Times On Base. With 10 so far, Donovan is demonstrating strong pitch recognition and patience at the plate. He currently sits tied for second in that category alongside several other players.

His performance shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, either. During spring training, Donovan hit .413 across 17 games, recording 19 hits in 46 at-bats, giving Seattle Mariners fans a glimpse of what he’s now delivering in the regular season.