Cardinals Right-Hander Labeled ‘Likeliest To Be Traded’

Despite their competitive standing, the St. Louis Cardinals could move veteran players before the deadline to make room for rising talent.

One pitcher, in particular, has emerged as a prime trade candidate.

This season, the pitcher in question has posted a 4.56 ERA over 17 starts, with a 3-8 record across 92.2 innings. His 57 strikeouts have been offset by 41 walks.

There have been glimpses, however. A complete game shutout earlier in the year reminded Major League Baseball of his potential to deliver.

Katie Woo of The Athletic recently called this hurler the "likeliest" player to be traded by the Cardinals while discussing St. Louis' deadline outlook.

“Plenty of Cardinals players will draw interest," Woo wrote.

"Many will have significant value. Neither of those things means much if the Cardinals are unwilling to engage. Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, Erick Fedde, Phil Maton and Miles Mikolas are in the final years of their contracts. If St. Louis intends to add via subtraction like Detroit, offloading impending free agents is a sensible place to start. But just because a contract bodes well for logistics doesn’t mean the team will follow through. Fedde is the likeliest to be traded."

"Much like last season with the Chicago White Sox, Fedde (who is in the final year of a two-year, $7.5 million deal) would garner considerable interest as a low-cost, mid-rotation starter. The purpose of swapping Fedde would be to open up a rotation spot for Michael McGreevy. But if they part ways with a starter, the club risks being left unprotected if a starting pitcher lands on the injured list. The lack of major-league-ready depth in Triple A remains a concern and could give the organization pause regarding a potential Fedde trade.”

Fedde’s affordable contract makes him attractive to contenders seeking cost-effective pitching depth.

Fedde on the move would represent another twist in what has been a truly unique career arc for the 32-year-old.

After an up-and-down start to his career with the Washington Nationals, Fedde revitalized his game in South Korea’s KBO, earning MVP honors in 2023. Returning to MLB with the Chicago White Sox, he posted a 3.11 ERA before joining St. Louis in a 2024 three-team trade, where he recorded a 3.72 ERA over 10 starts.