Cardinals 'Believed To Be Shopping' Veteran Hurler Ahead Of Trade Deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals don't have a solid position in this year's playoff race and are tasked with making several important decisions ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

The Cardinals are 51-46 and sit 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. Fortunately, St. Louis is only 1 1/2 games out of an NL Wild Card spot, so the club remains within striking distance of securing a postseason ticket.

Still, the Cardinals could falter in this season's second half, so the franchise's front office must be realistic with its trade deadline plans, which may include parting ways with a veteran starting pitcher.

"If the Cardinals can come out of the break with better health, they’ll feel much more confident about their chances to be buyers," The Athletic's Katie Woo reported Wednesday morning when discussing St. Louis' plans for the second half of 2025. "If not, they could be a major factor in the trade market. St. Louis has several impact relievers on expiring deals (Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz) and is believed to be shopping starting pitcher Erick Fedde as well."

Fedde has posted a 3-9 record with a 4.83 ERA, 58-to-46 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .263 batting average against and a 1.47 WHIP in 98 2/3 innings pitched for the Cardinals this season.

The 32-year-old was traded from the Chicago White Sox to St. Louis at last summer's trade deadline, when the Cardinals were in a similar position in the playoff standings.

Last season was the best of Fedde's eight-year career -- logging a 9-9 record with a 3.30 ERA, 154-to-52 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .233 batting average against and a 1.16 WHIP in 177 1/3 innings pitched for the White Sox and Cardinals.

Sadly, Fedde's success in 2024 seems to be short-lived. He has struggled immensely with his command and is unlikely to generate much in return if traded this summer as a rental option -- he's set to become a free agent this fall.

Considering that the Cardinals dealt homegrown talent and 2024 NL Championship Series MVP Tommy Edman in exchange for Fedde, it's disappointing to see how poorly the former Washington Nationals No. 1 overall pick has performed this season. Trading him before the deadline might not be easy, given his lackluster campaign thus far in 2025.