White Sox Reportedly Negotiated For Cardinals Rising Star; Offered Coveted Hurler

Will St. Louis trade away the young slugger?

Apr 7, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the National Anthem before Opening Day between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals haven't made any trades yet as we inch closer to the deadline but there are rumblings of trade speculations that could soon develop into something significant.

For instance, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly interested in trading for a Cardinals Gold Glove winner. The more that rumor grows, the more likely it is to come true.

In a shocking development that would solve the vacancy in the rotation, the Chicago White Sox have reportedly reached out to the Cardinals to discuss a deal involving a young St. Louis outfielder.

"They’ve (White Sox) at least tried to wrest away former top-5 prospect Jordan Walker from the Cardinals in talks over (Erick) Fedde, per multiple sources," Sox Machine's James Fegan reported on Sunday before Chicago's 6-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

With both the Cardinals and White Sox interested in an exchange that sends Fedde to St. Louis, we at least now know what Chicago demands in return for their starter.

To trade away Walker for Fedde would be a stunning move, as the Cardinals would be giving up a player who was once seen as an integral part of the organization's future for a 31-year-old who's had an overall mediocre career -- with the exception of this season.

Walker is batting .237 with 24 extra-base hits including five home runs, 26 RBIs and a .677 OPS in 66 games played for Triple-A Memphis in 2024. Sadly, he hasn't quite found his swing since being demoted to the minors earlier in the season

It's a difficult decision to make -- to give up on a former phenom -- but it might just be the time to do so. Letting go of a struggling 21-year-old for a veteran starting pitcher who still has one-year, $7.5 million due on his contract for 2025 doesn't sound like such a bad deal.

More MLB: Cardinals Reportedly Looking To Snatch Former All-Star Hurler From Blue Jays