Chicago White Sox right-hander Erick Fedde has been connected to many teams in the lead-up to Tuesday’s trade deadline. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals are one back in the Nationa League Wild Card race. If they want to push for the postseason, the Cardinals have to bolster their rotation. St. Louis starters have the eighth-worst ERA (4.44) this season, including a 5.38 ERA in July. To this end, the Cardinals are making a push for Fedde, according to MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman. The Cardinals are looking for an affordable starting pitching option to bolster their current rotation of Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, Miles Mikolas and Andre Pallante.
Cardinals are pushing for Erick Fedde. Nothing definitive but some momentum there.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 29, 2024
Cardinals Making Push for Erick Fedde (Report)
On Saturday, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal linked the Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers to Fedde. The right-hander is signed for $7.5 million this season as he also reportedly drew interest from the New York Mets and Houston Astros. Fedde posted a 5.41 ERA for the Washington Nationals from 2017-22. However, he spent one year in the Korea Baseball Organization which saw him win the league’s MVP Award. Now that Fedde has returned to MLB, he posted an excellent 3.11 ERA with a 3.11 K/BB for Chicago this season.
The fit between Fedde and the Cardinals is an obvious one given the club’s uncertain rotation situation ahead of 2025 and Fedde’s additional team control after this season. If Fedde were in the Cardinals rotation, he would have the lowest ERA by more than half a run. His 3.76 FIP would be the second-lowest behind only Gray’s 2.85 figure. With plenty of suitors for Fedde’s services, the White Sox might have a hefty asking price in a trade. Chicago did try to include young outfielder Jordan Walker in trade talks with St. Louis regarding Fedde.
Another Pitcher Available for Trade
Given that the Cardinals might not want to move Walker in a Fedde deal, it seems that both sides are facing a gap in trade talks. If both sides can’t come to an agreement, one name St. Louis could pursue is Nestor Cortes. He has made every start for the New York Yankees this season, logging 124 1/3 innings with a 4.13 ERA. Cortes is a durable starter with postseason experience, two traits the Cardinals will want in their rotation. He’s due to make $3.95 million this year and has one year of arbitration remaining before he hits the free agent market. It doesn’t hurt that Cortes is left-handed, as the Cardinals don’t have a left-handed starter in the rotation.
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