Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Urged To Trade $15 Million Veteran Despite Coming Off Breakout Season

Should St. Louis part ways with the journeyman?
Nate Hagerty|
Aug 5, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium during the first inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Aug 5, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium during the first inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are looking to shed payroll this winter, but their options are limited given their youth-laden roster and several stars' no-trade clauses in their contracts.

Following three-time All-Stars Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras' decisions to invoke their no-trade clauses, the Cardinals' most valuable trade chips left are third baseman Nolan Arenado and closing pitcher Ryan Helsley.

However, another potential trade piece could emerge -- one who was acquired this summer in a lopsided three-team deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

"For as much as (Steven) Matz's trade value appears to be helped by the state of free agent pitching right now, Erick Fedde's value should be so much better considering the season he is coming off of and the absolute bargain of a contract he is on," FanSided's Josh Jacobs wrote Wednesday morning when listing Cardinals players most likely to be dealt this winter.

Fedde posted a 9-9 record with a 3.30 ERA, 154-to-52 stikeout-to-walk ratio, .233 batting average against and a 1.16 WHIP in 177 1/3 innings pitched for the White Sox and Cardinals in 2024.

"Holding onto Fedde and dealing him later would be risky business from St. Louis," Jacobs continued. "Although he looked great in 2024, it could be an outlier season, or he could get hurt early in 2025 and lose all value." Jacobs finished by saying, "While I expect some of these other names to be moved on this list, Fedde is one who has not be talked about much outside of speculation and if the Cardinals end up not shopping him around, I think that would be a massive mistake."

The 31-year-old signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the White Sox in 2024. Consequently, the Cardinals must pay Fedde $7.5 million after next season ends -- quite a bargain of a deal for a starter coming off the best season of his career.

It's possible the Cardinals could use Fedde to help retool their lackluster farm system but there's been little talk about what his trade market would look like. If St. Louis can receive a decent haul of prospects in exchange for the right-handed pitcher, perhaps a deal could be worked out.

More MLB: Mets Urged To Consider Trade For Cardinals $260 Million Five-Time Silver Slugger

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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