The Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox agreed to a trade on Monday. LA is receiving Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman and White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech while St. Louis adds White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham and pitcher Erick Fedde, per Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports. Meanwhile, the White Sox stack up on young players and prospects by acquiring Dodgers infielder Miguel Vargas, Dodgers infield prospect Jeral Perez and Dodgers infield prospect Alexander Albertus.
It's a big trade with a lot of moving parts. The White Sox are clear sellers while the Dodgers are obvious buyers. Meanwhile, the Cardinals hold a 54-51 record. They are closer to being a buyer than a seller given their position in the National League Wild Card race, though. Sure enough, St. Louis surrendered Edman (who has yet to play in 2024 due to an injury) and acquired two veteran players.
So how did the teams fare in this three-deal trade?
White Sox continue the rebuild
Chicago has the worst record in MLB. They are focused on the future. The White Sox have yet to trade stars Luis Robert and Garrett Crochet. Chicago still continued their rebuild by dealing Kopech, Pham and Fedde away, however.
The addition of Vargas stands out. He was once regarded as one of the Dodgers best position player prospects. The 24-year-old can play multiple positions and hits from the right-side of the plate.
He has appeared in 129 big league games since 2022. Vargas has struggled to produce at the MLB level so far, but his offensive ceiling remains high.
Perez is the Dodgers No. 17 overall prospect, per MLB.com. Albertus is ranked No. 23 overall in the Dodgers farm system.
Perez is only 19 years old. He is a middle infielder who features an all-around balanced game. Perez's offensive power from the right-side of the plate stands out.
Albertus doesn't feature the same kind of power Perez does. With that being said, he is a pure hitter who provides the ability to take the ball to all parts of the field. He is also 19 years old.
Perez and Albertus are not expected to reach the MLB level until 2027. That will not be a problem for the rebuilding White Sox, though. Vargas, meanwhile, can immediately play a role for the big league club.
Cardinals add despite subtracting veteran
Adding Fedde and Pham gives the Cardinals extra pitching and outfield depth. Fedde has pitched to a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts so far during the 2024 campaign. Pham has slashed .266/.330/.380/.710 in 70 games played.
Edman will be missed in St. Louis. As mentioned, though, he had not played a single game in 2024 because of an injury. The former Gold Glove Award winner is expected to return later in the season and he will play a role for the Dodgers. Nevertheless, the Cardinals were able to add two quality players while losing one veteran who has not played in 2024.
Again, losing Edman is far from ideal. Cardinals fans are likely content with this deal, however.
Dodgers' return is interesting
Fans are used to the Dodgers adding superstars. Edman has won a Gold Glove, but he's not considered a star. He is a good player who offers important defensive versatility.
Los Angeles wants to move Mookie Betts back to second base when he returns from injury. Edman will be an option to take over shortstop duties once he returns from his injury.
Kopech is the standout acquisition. He has both starting and relief experience. Kopech also has a blazing arm.
In 2024, Kopech has pitched to an underwhelming 4.74 ERA in 43 appearances out of the bullpen. The Dodgers happen to excel when it comes to helping pitchers get back on track. Kopech should have an opportunity to bounce back in Los Angeles.
Final Dodgers, Cardinals and White Sox trade grades
White Sox trade grade: B
Cardinals trade grade: A
Dodgers trade grade: B
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