Winners and losers of the Chicago White Sox-Dodgers-Cardinals 3-team trade involving Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham
It was no surprise that the Chicago White Sox would be sellers entering the trade deadline this season.
It was apparent in April that this team had a chance to be one of the worst ever. Doubtless, the trade deadline is an exciting time to see if the team could acquire pieces that could become building blocks for a new beginning.
Erick Fedde was a pleasant surprise for the White Sox this year and was one of the most desired arms at the deadline. The Sox ended up shipping him in a three-team trade to the Cardinals, receiving Miguel Vargas and two minor-league prospects from the Dodgers.
The return seemed underwhelming and let's look into the winners and losers of the deal.
Winners
Miguel Vargas
According to MLB.com, in 2023 Miguel Vargas was the 37th best prospect in all of baseball. Unfortunately for the talented multi-positional prospect, he hasn’t been given much opportunity to display his talents on the Dodgers due to the bevy of fantastic players ahead of him.
In only 71 ABs this year, Vargas has an OPS+ of 107, which is slightly above the league average. However, on the White Sox, he will have almost unlimited chances to prove himself worthy of everyday playing time.
The St. Louis Cardinals
Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham are no Garret Crochet and Luis Robert Jr., but it is still a pretty good haul for a team trying to fight for a playoff spot this year.
Erick Fedde has been a league surprise since he came back from the Korean Baseball League, spotting a 3.11 ERA and a 7-4 record on the worst team in baseball. Not to mention he has another year under contract after this one.
Tommy Edman is a solid pro but has not played a single game this year. Getting one of the best arms available at the deadline for someone who hasn’t been able to contribute this year is a great move for the Cardinals.
The Dodgers
The Dodgers were able to land a flamethrowing reliever in Michael Kopech, who is probably best served outside of the closer role, and a versatile professional MLB player in Tommy Edman.
All it took was 3 prospects outside their top 12 according to MLB.com. There are some concerns about Kopech’s performance, but on that team with that culture, it is likely that they unlock Kopech and return him to his dominant state. A great buy low for the Dodgers.
Losers
White Sox Fans
The fans were assured that the reason Getz was hired was to ensure a quick turnaround and for the team to compete as quick as possible. However, every move since then has been moves to rebuild 2027 onward.
The prospects received from the Fedde trade are projected to be MLB-ready in either 2027 and the draft picks made in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the 2024 MLB draft were highschoolers, definitely not “win now” moves that were insinuated by management.
The White Sox
They are professionals, so it is hard to feel pity, but to lose the second-best pitcher on the team and an emotional leader in Tommy Pham has to be a blow to the side of a team trying not to be given the moniker as the worst team in baseball history.
The 2003 Detroit Tigers finished 43-119, a .265 winning %. The Sox currently sit at 27-82, which means they have to go 16-37, to not break the 162-game regular season record of the worst winning percentage in a season.
As they look toward possibly a youth movement, breaking this record could seem more and more realistic as the season comes to a close.
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