A few weeks after they started to explore the market for him and less than a week after they took moves into their own hands and removed struggling starter Erick Fedde from the roster, the Cardinals found a deal to make.
The Cardinals sent the right-hander and cash to Atlanta in exchange for a player to be named later or, possibly, a return of some cash.
A source confirmed the deal to the Post-Dispatch on Sunday afternoon before Atlanta announced the trade and the Cardinals later confirmed its details.
Atlanta jumps ahead of the waivers to get a starter for its injury-riddled rotation that needed a starter immediately for its next series.
The Cardinals get some salary relief before having to release Fedde and cover the remaining part of his $7.5 million contract.
Acquired a year ago at the trade deadline in a three-team deal that sent Tommy Edman to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cardinals sought Fedde from the White Sox to augment the starting rotation and contribute to it during the 2025 season. They saw him as a possible chip to play at this year's deadline because the marketplace has limited starters who interest contenders.
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Fedde spent most of the season struggling to find a feel for his cut fastball or any consistency from start to start. He pitched his first career complete-game shutout in Washington, only to then fade into a two-month spiral. The Cardinals lost 10 of his final 12 starts for them, and he went 0-7 in his final seven decisions.
The Cardinals designated him for assignment after he allowed six runs in three innings this past week at Colorado and took the loss.
That gave the Cardinals some time to find a trade partner for Fedde without him taking up a spot on the active or 40-player roster. If they did not find a trade and team did not claim him off waivers, the Cardinals would release him, pay out the remaining part of his contract and make Fedde a free agent available at the prorated major league minimum.
Fedde, 32, went 3-10 with a 5.22 ERA in 101 1/3 innings and 20 starts this season for the Cardinals.
He was replaced in the rotation by right-hander Michael McGreevy, who followed his seven strong innings at Coors Field with Sunday's rocky start against San Diego. McGreevy allowed a career-high seven runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss in the Padres' 9-2 win to split a four-game series at Busch Stadium.
After being traded to LA in the Fedde deal, switch-hitting infielder Edman won the NLCS MVP and signed a five-year, $59.6 million extension to remain with the Dodgers. This season, Edman is batting .228 with a .278 on-base percentage with a .393 slugging percentage, 11 homers, 42 RBIs and a .672 OPS.
Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold joined columnist Jeff Gordon to discuss a possible sell-off with the team fading from the playoff race.
