St. Louis Cardinals’ right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde delivered a career-defining performance on Friday, leading his team to a commanding 10-0 victory over the Washington Nationals. Fedde, facing the team he spent the first six years of his MLB career with, threw his first career complete-game shutout, striking out eight batters, walking none, and allowing just six hits. His remarkable outing has not only earned him recognition but has also solidified his status as a prime trade candidate as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
With this dominant victory, the Cardinals, now sitting at 20-19 and in second place in the competitive NL Central, have raised serious questions about their direction for the remainder of the season. Although they’ve shown flashes of brilliance, they remain closer to the bottom of the division than to a playoff berth, making their odds of postseason contention slim. Consequently, the Cardinals are expected to become sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, and Fedde’s performance only strengthens the likelihood of his departure.
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Fedde’s overall season performance has been solid, with a 3.86 ERA over eight starts and 46.2 innings. He has been consistent, allowing two runs or fewer in five of those appearances and pitching at least six innings in every outing. However, with the Cardinals in a rebuild mode and Fedde’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, the team has little incentive to hold on to the 32-year-old pitcher.
While it might be difficult for some fans to accept, trading Fedde will allow the Cardinals to acquire young, controllable talent that could better serve their long-term plans. The performance on Friday only adds to Fedde’s trade value, and if the Cardinals are to go forward with a youth-focused rebuild, moving him could create room for rising stars, such as Michael McGreevy or Quinn Mathews, to take on larger roles in the rotation.
Fedde’s future with the Cardinals is uncertain, and given the team’s current outlook, it seems likely that he will be playing elsewhere come the trade deadline. However, his recent dominance on the mound has certainly increased his appeal to potential suitors, and the better he pitches, the more valuable he becomes to teams looking to bolster their rotations for a playoff push.
As the trade deadline looms, the Cardinals’ front office will likely be evaluating all offers, and Fedde’s stellar performances are only amplifying the discussions around his future. For now, the focus remains on Fedde’s continued success, which could shape not only his future but the future of the Cardinals as they look to rebuild and reload for the coming seasons.
