Erick Fedde might be the best free-agent signing of last offseason and he pitches for the Chicago White Sox.
He has pitched well enough this season that he should have earned an All-Star invite but with the White Sox being so bad, he got snubbed.
Fedde had to go to South Korea to revive his career, but this season, he is proving to be a steal on a two-year $15 million deal. Having that extra year of contract control despite being 31 is what makes Fedde attractive on the trade market.
He is proving he is capable of starting a playoff game with the sweeper he mastered in the KBO. While the Sox are rumored to be interested in trading All-Star Garrett Crochet, Fedde is the other pitcher the team should get a potential impact bat in a deal.
There are four teams that are being reported to be interested in acquiring Fedde.
St. Louis Cardinals
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Cardinals are interested in Fedde's services. Locked on Cardinals host JD Hafron advised me the players St. Louis would be willing to give reclamation project Dylan Carlson.
He has plenty of talent, but his career year came in 2021 and he only hit 18 home runs. Not exactly the player the Sox need.
Cesar Pietro is another name Hafron threw out. The infielder has a .302 average at Triple-A A with a .838 OPS and 12 dingers. He is the Cardinals 18th-ranked prospect. Although he is 25 but hey in White Sox prospect years that is like 21.
The Cardinals have plenty of pitching in their farm system. That includes Gordon Graceffo, the Cardinals' No. 9 prospect, a righty who is 24, and Adam Kloffenstein, who is a 23-year righty and the No. 16 prospect in their system that Hafron told me the Cards might part with.
Houston Astros
The Astros have come back to tie the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. They need pitching with injuries to their rotation.
The Sox got Korey Lee last year for Kendall Graveman. Will Wanger is an infield prospect who is ranked No. 11 in Houston's system and would be a nice addition to the Sox.
The Astros have plenty of hitting prospects that the Sox are looking for and that is why they are good match for a player like Fedde.
Milwaukee Brewers
ESPN's Jesse Rogers pointed out that the Brewers already acquired Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays, but they still need more help in their rotation with the all injuries they have been dealing with.
Fedde is on an affordable deal that the small-market Brewers can fit into their payroll. Reviewing the Brew's Dave Gasper suggested to me that Eric Brown Jr. or Luke Adams would be players the Brewers would give up.
Brown Jr. is the Crew's 10th-ranked prospect and their 2022 first-round pick. Adams is a power-hitting first or third baseman who is the 15th-rated prospect in the Brew Crew's deep farm system with filled with hitters.
Cleveland Guardians
This is another team Rogers is tying Fedde to since Cleveland's rotation has been banged up. Trading within the division is not always a good idea, but since the Sox are so far away from being competitive, the club should trade Fedde to whoever gives the best offer.
If the Guardians give the best offer, then Fedde should be traded to Cleveland. The Guardians do have plenty of bats among their top 30 to dangle in front of Sox general manager Chris Getz.