MLB Insider Believes Cleveland Guardians Should Pursue This Starting Pitcher
After becoming the second team in the American League to reach the 50-win mark Monday night, the Cleveland Guardians have emerged as contenders this season. The MLB trade deadline is a little over a month away, and the leaders of the AL Central have solidified themselves as "buyers."
ESPN insider Jeff Passan wrote an article today about every contender's top addition at the trade deadline, in which he considered the Guardians' "best match" to be White Sox starting pitcher Erick Fedde.
"This would not be a sexy move, but then sexy isn't part of the vocabulary of the Guardians, whose precision and discipline keep them competitive almost every season with tiny payrolls. "
- Jeff Passan
Fedde may not be a household name, but his numbers this season tell a different story.
Despite Chicago's 21-59 record in 2023, the 31-year-old right-hander has managed to be a diamond in the rough. Fedde is 5-2 while maintaining a 3.05 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.
The White Sox ace has had an interesting career in the MLB.
He began his journey back in 2017 with the Washington Nationals, but after struggling for six seasons, decided to play a season in the Korean Baseball Organization. Fedde's time away from the majors sparked his incredible comeback, as the righty was awarded the KBO MVP in 2023. He then signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the White Sox this past offseason.
Landing another starting pitcher has quickly became the primary need for the Guardians as we move closer to the trade deadline.
"Cleveland entered 2024 hoping to ride its young rotation to playoff contention. Well, Shane Bieber went down with Tommy John surgery, Gavin Williams hasn't thrown a big league inning, Logan Allen is sporting a 5.23 ERA and Triston McKenzie leads MLB in walks and home runs allowed."
- Jeff Passan
While Fedde may be an ideal fit for the Guardians, the fact that it would be an intradivisional trade would make it tough for Cleveland to acquire the talented pitcher. But if the team could pull off a deal for Fedde, he would quickly become a key contributor for the Guardians.
DYLAN FELTOVICH