ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Cardinals headed to the Trade Deadline for a big need at starting pitcher. They have finally acquired one in starter Erick Fedde from the Chicago White Sox.
The Cardinals have acquired Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham in a three-team trade between the Cardinals, White Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers that will also send center fielder Tommy Edman and minor league prospect Oliver Gonzalez to the Dodgers.
The Cardinals will also receive cash considerations from the White Sox and a player to be named later or cash considerations from the Dodgers.
As part of the trade, the Dodgers also acquired reliever Michael Kopech from the White Sox. The White Sox will acquire Miguel Vargas, Jeral Perez, Alexander Albertus and a player to be named later or cash considerations from the Dodgers.
Multiple national baseball reporters, including Bob Nightengale of the USA Today and Russell Dorsey from Yahoo Sports, were among the first to report of the trade.
Fedde joined the White Sox this past offseason on two-year deal worth $15 million after spending 2023 in South Korea with the NC Dinos. Since returning to the big leagues, Fedde has proved to be one of the best signings from this past offseason, posting a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts, striking out 108 batters in 121.2 innings and posting a rWAR of 4.6.
The Cardinals need for a starter has grown over the last month, with the Cardinals rotation having posted a 5.68 ERA in the month of July, which is fourth-worst in all of baseball , with the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels and Miami Marlins the only teams being worst than the Cardinals in that stretch.
The acquisition of Pham marks a reunion between the Cardinals and Pham. Pham was drafted by the Cardinals in 2006 and played for the club in the majors from 2014-2018. Pham was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in July 2018, with the Cardinals acquiring three players, including reliever Genesis Cabrera.
Pham joined the White Sox in mid-April on a one-year deal and has been a respectable bat on a team that has been, to be frank, the worst team in baseball. This season, Pham has hit a .266/.330/.380 slash line, with an OPS of .710, good for a OPS+ of 102, two points above the league average.
Pham gives the Cardinals a right-handed bat in outfield that has been a need for the Cardinals, with Pham having amassed a .848 OPS against lefties this season in 61 plate appearances. Only three Cardinals hitters have fared well against left handers this season: Paul Goldschmidt, Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn.
The trade to the Cardinals will mark the third straight season Pham has been traded at the Trade Deadline. Last offseason, Pham was traded from the New York Mets to Arizona Diamondbacks and was a contributor as part of the D'back's run to the 2023 World Series, losing to the Texas Rangers. In 2022, he was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Boston Red Sox.
Edman has been a staple for the Cardinals lineup since 2019, posting a solid .265/.319/.399 slugging during his time with the Cardinals, good for a weighed runs created plus (wRC+) of 99. Edman has not played for the Cardinals in 2024 due to recovery from offseason wrist surgery but has also been sidelined with a sprained ankle.
During his time with the Cardinals, Edman earned a Gold Glove in 2021 for his excellent defense, primarily at second base.
Edman signed a two-year deal worth $16.5 million in the offseason, with Edman set to earn $9.5 million in 2025 before hitting free agency.
To make room for both Fedde and Pham on the 40-man roster, catcher Nick Raposo was designated for assignment Monday. He joins reliever Giovanny Gallegos, who was DFA'd Sunday before the Cardinals finale against the Washington Nationals.
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