The St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a big three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox that they hope will give them each a respective boost during the second half of the season and beyond.
Starting pitcher Erick Fedde, who is one of the more remarkable MLB stories of 2024, is headed to the Redbirds as many expected, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. He will be joined by veteran outfielder and familiar face Tommy Pham. Utility man Tommy Edman, reliever Michael Kopech and 17-year-old pitcher Oliver Gonzalez land in LA, hopeful to add some needed depth to the National League West leaders.
Chicago makes sure to come away with a young player who can slot into its lineup right away, acquiring Miguel Vargas from the Dodgers, according to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale. That is not all, though, as White Sox general manager Chris Getz also plucks 19-year-old infielders Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus from Los Angeles' farm system. They were the franchise's No. 17 and 23 ranked prospects, respectively.
When the dust settles, fan bases of all three teams should be at least somewhat pleased by the new talent that is entering the clubhouse, even if they do not agree with the cost.
Cardinals load up for postseason push
The Cardinals upgrade their rotation with Erick Fedde (3.11 ERA in 121.2 innings pitched). The veteran right-hander revamped his game in South Korea last year and is now better than ever.
St. Louis also adds another bat in the form of Pham. The 2006 16th-round draft pick started his career in St. Louis and finished 11th in MVP voting in 2017 before becoming a regular trade deadline piece in the following years. His knack for delivering in the playoffs could come in handy if the Cards snag one of the National League Wild Card slots. The team's path to October looks as fortuitous as ever.
That is not to say that Tommy Edman will not be missed. The 2021 Gold Glove winner offered the Cardinals plenty of flexibility, but he has missed all of 2024 while recovering from wrist surgery. The Dodgers could benefit from Edman's services when he does return to action, however.
LA tries to upgrade bottom of lineup, gambles on a past top prospect
Manager Dave Roberts is supremely confident in the top of his lineup, which is loaded with star power, but he knows how taxing it can be to get consistent production from the bottom of the order. Edman is a .265 career hitter who has stolen 27 or more bases in three different seasons. When he finishes his rehab, the 29-year-old might bring the balance the Dodgers' offense needs.
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is also looking to reinforce the pitching staff while he waits for several key hurlers to return from the injured list. Enter Michael Kopech. The former first-rounder found success as both a starter and reliever for the White Sox before seeing his numbers plummet over the last two years. He is 2-8 with a 4.74 ERA in 43 appearances this year.
Control is the major issue for Kopech (24 walks in 43.2 innings), but there are few better places for him to reestablish himself as a competent pitcher than in Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers have helped many guys find their way back to relevance and could do the same with this former top prospect. At 28 years of age, there is still plenty of time for Kopech to figure things out and evolve into a viable long-term option.
LA's investment in these two reclamation projects, along with right-hander Oliver Gonzalez (4.22 ERA in Dominican Summer League), is understandable, but it will result in them saying goodbye to a few players who could become future stalwarts.
White Sox focused on building for the future
Chicago is trapped in the MLB basement for the foreseeable future, and the only way to free itself from such a bleak fate is to trade short-term options like Fedde and Tommy Pham to contenders who seek instant help. Chris Getz is likely not done yet, but he has already added a decent share of potential with Monday's move.
Although Miguel Vargas had been scuffling in Los Angeles, he might be able to find his form in a regular role with the White Sox. The 24-year-old can play in both the infield and outfield and is still under team control for a couple of more seasons.
Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus perfectly fit the the franchise's timetable, as neither will celebrate their 20th birthday until the fall. The organization patiently awaits their development, as fans do their best to remain emotionally stable during this extensive rebuild.
They will have to wait a long time to see if this trade helps launch them on an upward trajectory, while the Dodgers and Cardinals seek immediate results for their efforts.
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