Cardinals May Trade $7.5M Breakout Star Amid Major Roster Turnover

Could the Cardinals send a hurler away after a short stint with the team?

Jul 12, 2020; St. Louis, Missouri, United States; A view of empty seats as the St. Louis Cardinals play a simulated game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will look different by the time the 2025 Major League Baseball season rolls around.

This is a fact and also is the case with pretty much every team in baseball. No team is able to completely retain a full organization from one year to the next. The Cardinals will be making some changes and already have declined club options with a few players.

More changes certainly could be on the way. There has been speculation that the club could trade either Sonny Gray or Willson Contreras, but that doesn't seem like it will be the case any longer, with both wanting to stay in St. Louis and having no-trade clauses.

One player who could be on the move, though, is starting pitcher Erick Fedde, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"(John Mozeliak) said reducing the payroll further would give the Cardinals some 'breathing room' headed into spring training," Goold said. "They will explore trades involving (Steven Matz) and, if moved by the offer, Fedde. Agent Scott Boras on Wednesday said he expects the free-agent starters to move first, and if that market is rich, the Cardinals have cost-effective options to trade. The Cardinals will not be active in the free-agent market for starting pitchers."

Fedde was acquired by the Cardinals ahead of the trade deadline as they were fighting for a playoff spot. He was a breakout star in 2024 and had a 3.30 ERA across 31 starts with the Chicago White Sox and Cardinals. Fedde is under contract at an affordable $7.5 million in 2025. If he is available, other teams certainly will be interested.

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