Mets Targeting Trade For Bounce-Back Starter to Address Recent Injury Woes

The Mets have their eye on an above-average AL starting pitcher before the 2024 trade deadline.

Jul 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Erick Fedde (20) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets have already made three key moves before this year’s trade deadline.

On Friday, the Mets addressed their bullpen depth by trading for Ryne Stanek from the Seattle Mariners. President of baseball operations David Stearns then added a much-needed left-handed bat in the outfield by getting Jesse Winker from the Washington Nationals on Saturday. They also acquired righty reliever Phil Maton on July 9 from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Yet, due to the recent injuries to starters' Kodai Senga (calf strain, likely out for rest of regular season) and Christian Scott (UCL sprain), the 55-49 Mets are also now looking to bolster their rotation, which once had strong depth, for this year’s playoff push. 

And Chicago White Sox starter Erick Fedde has emerged as one of their top targets. 

According to MLB insider Joel Sherman of The New York Post, “The Mets have called on Fedde, who flamed out with the Nationals after being a first-round selection, went to Korea and remade himself as a 20-game winner and KBO’s MVP. 

“He signed a two-year, $15 million pact with the White Sox to return to the majors,” Sherman continued. “Fedde, who is due $7.5 million in 2025, is holding lefties and righties to an identical .223 batting average.”

Fedde currently has a 7-4 record with a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts this year in Chicago. While he may not be attracting as much trade attention as his ace teammate Garrett Crochet, Fedde has still been a bright spot in an otherwise abysmal season for the White Sox. 

Trading for Fedde likely won’t command a king’s ransom of prospects, as opposed to Crochet. So, adding the 31-year-old Fedde to their rotation could be the perfect final move to conclude what has already been an active trade deadline for Stearns’ surging Mets squad.