Brendan Donovan creates history after becoming first-ever Alabamian to feature in an MLB in-season game in Alabama

As the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants played in the first-ever MLB regular season game at Rickwood Field, it was a special homecoming for Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan. The 27-year-old veteran is the first-ever Alabama native to play in a regular season game in his home state.

Donovan and the Cardinals were victorious on Thursday evening, winning 6-5 over the Giants. The Alabama native, who spent the majority of his childhood in the state and starred for Enterprise High School (in Enterprise, Alabama), went 3 for 4 on the night, hitting a three-run home run that was a key play in the St. Louis victory.

“What a special night," Donovan said post-game per the AP. "I mean, this is something that we should celebrate. This right here is pretty amazing. And to do it in Alabama, I’ve got some friends and family in the stands, it’s like playing summer ball again.”

MLB's matchup tonight was another step in the league showcasing the history and talent of the Negro Leagues. The league lost an icon this week when MLB and Negro Leagues legend Willie Mays passed away at the age of 93. Legends like Reggie Jackson discussed the "Say Hey Kid," an outstanding outfielder who revolutionized the game during his time with the San Francisco Giants.

Rickwood Field was the home of the Birmingham Barons for 78 years, as well as the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. In preparation for tonight's matchup, MLB spent millions of dollars to bring the field up to major league standards. Hopefully, this year's matchup will be the first of many to come at the historic venue in Birmingham, Alabama.

Brendan Donovan putting up a career year thus far

This is Brendan Donovan's third season in MLB. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 and won the first NL utility player Gold Glove.

So far this year, the Alabama native has had arguably his best year at the plate. He's played in 69 of the Cardinals' 74 games thus far, hitting .258 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs thus far. He's on pace to hit 13 home runs with 73 RBIs, which would top his previous career bests of 11 homers and 45 RBIs.

Brendan Donovan already accumulated a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 0.7 this season, making him one of the more dependable players in the St. Louis lineup.