The San Diego Padres, currently just half a game away from an NL Wild Card spot, are eyeing Erick Fedde as a Padres trade target to address their depleted starting pitching staff. The club seeks reinforcements as injuries and financial limitations challenge their playoff aspirations, making a potential trade with the St. Louis Cardinals for Fedde a significant consideration.
Padres Face Rotation Challenges Amid Injuries
Sitting at 45-39, the Padres are pushing to secure a postseason berth but have struggled to maintain depth in their rotation. Key players like Joe Musgrove have missed the season entirely, while Dylan Cease has posted a 3-7 record with a 4.53 ERA, contributing to mounting pressure on the staff. With Michael King also sidelined, the need for reliable pitching has become urgent for the San Diego team.
Why Erick Fedde Could Fill the Gap
The St. Louis Cardinals’ Erick Fedde brings experience, having started 17 games this season with a 3-8 record and a 4.56 ERA. While this performance may not stand out, Fedde’s ability to provide innings makes him an attractive and affordable option for the Padres, who lack a strong farm system and face budget constraints. His expiring contract further fits the team’s short-term needs without requiring a substantial investment or long-term commitment.
Trade Possibilities as Deadline Approaches
With the trade deadline nearing, the Padres are expected to pursue deals for starting pitchers, particularly those who are financially attainable. Whether a trade for Fedde materializes depends on San Diego’s ability to agree on terms with the Cardinals while working within their fiscal limits. The team’s approach emphasizes practicality and competitiveness rather than high-profile acquisitions.
Potential Impact on Padres’ Playoff Hopes
Acquiring Erick Fedde could stabilize the Padres’ pitching rotation, improving their odds of securing a playoff spot despite current obstacles. Strategic decisions such as this highlight how clubs can stay competitive by targeting players who meet both performance and budgetary needs, keeping postseason ambitions alive as the season progresses.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Erick Fedde good?
A. Fedde is in the bottom 10% for expected batting average, meaning hitters do well against him. He is also in the lowest 19% for average exit velocity and the bottom 29% for hard-hit rate, showing batters hit the ball hard off him. In addition, his strong control last year is now much worse, which has hurt his performance.
Q. How good is Erick Fedde?
A. Fedde has only 57 strikeouts in 92 and two-thirds innings this year. His 15.2% strikeout rate is in the bottom 4% among Major League pitchers. According to Baseball Savant, his 17.8% swinging-strike rate is also very low, placing him in the bottom 6%. Since he does not have a strong pitch to finish off batters, he struggles when he gets behind in the count.
Q. Has Erick Fedde won a world series?
A. Fedde, who had a record of 3-3, played for the Nationals between 2017 and 2022. He was part of the team when they won the World Series in 2019.
This was the second time he pitched against his old team.
Q. Is Erick Fedde a good pitcher?
A. In 2021, he achieved personal bests in almost every area. He began the season well, earning a 4-3 record with a 2.54 ERA over nine starts between April 12 and June 18. During this period, he struck out 48 batters and held opponents to a .182 batting average.
From May 11 to June 23, he pitched 21 consecutive scoreless innings, which was the longest streak of his career. This impressive stretch showed his strong performance that season.