Brendan Donovan targeting return before season's end after concussion

Brendan Donovan wants back on the field before the Cardinals close out their 2026 season, and per MLB.com's Daniel Kramer, he is actively working toward that goal as he recovers from a concussion.

What happened

Donovan spoke about his recovery process, detailing what it has looked like as he works through the concussion protocol. Per Kramer's reporting for MLB.com, the Cardinals infielder is targeting a return before the season ends — though the piece preserves appropriate uncertainty around that timetable, and no activation date has been announced by the club.

The league maintains a 7-day concussion injured list that exists separately from the standard 10-day IL for position players. The protocol itself is graduated — players must clear a series of steps before being cleared for game activity — which means the timeline is less a calendar question than a medical one. Donovan's stated aim is to get through it in time to contribute again in September, but that remains a target, not a guarantee.

Why it matters

The Cardinals are 72-74 (.493), sitting fourth in the NL Central and 18 games back in the division — a race from which they have already been eliminated. On the wild card side, they rank seventh, 6.0 games relative to the cut line, with a two-game losing streak adding a little extra weight to an already difficult arithmetic problem.

None of that makes Donovan's return irrelevant. September rosters expand to 28 players, which gives clubs more flexibility to carry and deploy players returning from injury. For a team playing out the string in the standings, getting a healthy Donovan back into the lineup is less about a playoff push and more about finishing with a full deck — and, frankly, about Donovan himself getting back to work after a stretch that has kept him out of the lineup.

The graduated nature of concussion protocol is worth understanding here. Unlike a standard IL stint where the calendar is the primary constraint, concussion recovery requires a player to advance through distinct phases — rest, light aerobic activity, sport-specific exercise, non-contact drills, full-contact practice, and finally return to competition. A player cannot accelerate through those stages simply because the schedule demands it. Donovan's target is his target; the protocol sets the pace.

Is Donovan expected back this season?

Per MLB.com's Daniel Kramer, Donovan is aiming to return before the season ends. That is his stated goal. What the piece does not provide — and what the desk will not manufacture — is a specific date, a number of games remaining on his protocol, or a medical clearance. The target is real; the timetable is still open.

Where the club stands

St. Louis heads to Oracle Park on Wednesday, September 9, where Andre Pallante draws the start against San Francisco's Blade Tidwell. After the Giants series, the Cardinals return to Busch Stadium to host the Chicago White Sox on Friday, September 11, and again on Saturday, September 12.

The schedule is not without meaning even in a lost season. These are games that matter to the players in them, and a Cardinals club that has been navigating a busy September roster period is still trying to find out what it has heading into the offseason.

That September roster period has had its share of storylines. Cooper Hjerpe was recalled from Triple-A Memphis for his MLB debut, and per earlier Posterior Wire reporting, delivered four perfect innings in a winning effort. The circumstances around his call-up were not entirely quiet — RHP Hancel Rincón was optioned back to Memphis to make room, and Rincón's own brief stint in St. Louis had already generated an unusual sidebar when, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting, an umpire ordered him to straighten his hat during a game, prompting a protest from Cardinals players the following day and an apology from the umpire. September baseball, as a rule, does not lack for texture.

The injury news has not been gentle either. A week removed from the announcement that Hunter Dobbins underwent Tommy John surgery and faces a recovery timeline that likely extends into late 2027, the club is now managing Donovan's concussion protocol alongside the usual September roster churn. Neither situation is the other's cause, but together they illustrate the kind of attrition a roster absorbs over the course of a long season — and the degree to which the Cardinals' medical staff has had a full workload as the calendar winds toward October.

The Cardinals' record stands at 72-74 (.493). They are fourth in the NL Central, 18 games back of the division lead, and have been eliminated from the division race. Their wild card position sits at rank 7, 6.0 games relative to the cut line. They have lost their last two.

What we don't know yet

The central unknown is straightforward: whether Donovan will clear the concussion protocol in time to actually play before the season ends. His aim is on record, per Kramer's reporting for MLB.com. The protocol's pace is not. Concussion recovery does not negotiate with the schedule, and the desk has no information about where Donovan currently sits in the graduated return-to-play process, how many steps remain, or what the medical staff's assessment is of his progress.

Donovan's target is Donovan's target. The Cardinals have not announced a specific return date or activation.

What to watch

The obvious thing to monitor is any roster move that signals Donovan has cleared protocol and is ready to be activated. In September, with the expanded 28-man limit in place, the club has some room to maneuver without the same zero-sum math that governed a 26-man roster through August. If Donovan progresses through the protocol steps, a return appearance before the final out of the regular season is something he is working toward — but the desk will wait for the club to say so before treating it as settled.

Beyond Donovan specifically, the Cardinals' remaining schedule — San Francisco on the road, then the White Sox at home — will offer a window into how this roster looks in its September configuration. Pallante takes the ball Wednesday at Oracle Park. The pieces are moving; Donovan is hoping to be one of them before it's over.