With their sights set on a deep playoff run, the Detroit Tigers are actively pursuing pitcher Erick Fedde as a trade target. As of Friday, the Tigers hold an impressive 54-34 record, placing them second in Major League Baseball behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, and their focus is on reinforcing their rotation to maintain momentum.
Addressing Weaknesses in the Starting Pitching Staff
The Tigers’ rotation has shown flashes of strength but also inconsistency through the season. Brendan Strieker of FanSided highlights Fedde, a right-handed pitcher from the St. Louis Cardinals, as a realistic acquisition option. He explains,
The Tigers have been one of MLB’s best teams all season long and are primed to have a big deadline.
—Brendan Strieker, Sports Analyst
Despite not being a headline-grabbing name, Fedde offers potential value by providing depth and innings at the back end of Detroit’s rotation. The team has logged the eighth-fewest innings among MLB clubs, a figure somewhat affected by their use of an opener strategy, but indicative of the need for more starter appearances to ease pressure on the bullpen.
Injury Challenges Heighten Need for Rotation Reinforcement
Detroit attempted to strengthen their pitching staff in the offseason by signing Alex Cobb, but injuries have limited his availability. Cobb is currently on the 60-day injured list with a hip injury, having pitched just 6.1 innings across three rehab starts, his last outing being on June 11. This absence has emphasized the importance of improving starting pitching depth as the postseason approaches.
Evaluating Erick Fedde’s Performance and Contract Situation
While Fedde’s 2023 numbers are modest with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP over 17 starts, his expiring $7.5 million contract makes him an attractive, low-risk candidate. His 2024 campaign showed promise, featuring a 3.30 ERA across 177.1 innings, suggesting that a fresh environment could help him regain form. This potential turnaround fits Detroit’s need for a dependable innings-eater to support their playoff push.
Possible Impact of Acquiring Fedde on Tigers’ Postseason Aspirations
The Tigers’ rotation currently boasts Tarik Skubal as the leading figure, but adding Fedde would offer crucial reinforcement against the wear and tear of a long season. Katie Woo of The Athletic notes Fedde among the Cardinals players most likely to be moved before the deadline, putting the Tigers in a strategic position to make a timely acquisition. Securing Fedde could be pivotal in Detroit’s quest to strengthen their pitching staff for a deeper postseason run in a fiercely competitive league.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Erick Fedde good?
A. Fedde is in the 10th percentile for expected batting average (xBA), meaning he is worse than most in this area. This places him towards the bottom among similar players. He is in the 19th percentile for average exit velocity allowed, meaning opponents hit the ball harder against him than they do against most other pitchers. Additionally, he ranks in the 29th percentile for hard-hit percentage, indicating batters frequently make strong contact. Furthermore, his previously strong pitching control, which made him perform better last year, has significantly declined.
Q. How good is Erick Fedde?
A. This season, Fedde has 57 strikeouts over 92 and two-thirds innings. His strikeout rate is 15.2%, placing him in the bottom 4% of Major League players. According to Baseball Savant, his whiff percentage is 17.8%, putting him in the bottom 6%. Without a strong finishing pitch, he struggles when he loses the lead in a count.