Inside The Cardinals

Astros Tabbed 'Best Fit' In Trade For Cardinals $15 Million Pitcher

The Astros need to add some pitching...
Zach Pressnell|
Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of tough decisions to make ahead of the trade deadline this season. With the team playing as well as it is, the Cardinals front office should buy to help win more games.

But St. Louis isn't built to compete with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, or Los Angeles Dodgers this season. It's unlikely the Cardinals can win a World Series this year, even if they aggressively buy at the trade deadline.

So expiring players like Erick Fedde and Ryan Helsley could be shipped to new homes before the trade deadline passes by.

ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel recently suggested there was a 50 percent chance the Cardinals would trade Fedde this season. Passan and McDaniel listed the Houston Astros as one of the "best fits" in a potential trade for the Cardinals' righty.

"Fedde's strikeout and walk numbers have regressed from his breakout 2024 season (after coming back from a stint in the KBO League), but he's allowing less damage on batted balls to keep himself in the rotation," They wrote.

The Astros have a dominant duo of Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez atop their rotation. While pursuing an expiring pitcher would be risky, adding Fedde could prove to be worthwhile if he continues to compete at the level he is.

An Astros trade for somebody like Freddy Peralta or Sandy Alcántara would make more sense. However, if Houston is going to go all-in to win right now and it wants an affordable pitcher on an expiring deal, Fedde is the perfect target.

More MLB: Cardinals Predicted To Add Superstar Prospect In Blockbuster Trade

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org