Things had been unraveling for weeks, and by the time Tuesday night rolled around, it was all but inevitable. After one more rough outing—this time a three-inning stint riddled with hits, home runs, and frustration—the Cardinals finally pulled the plug. A $15M star, once identified as a powerful trade chip ahead of the deadline, had simply run out of time. The team DFA-ed him Wednesday morning, ending a rough chapter that never truly found its footing.

The star is Erick Fedde, and his honesty, though painful, was telling. “The truth is I’ve been awful,” Fedde admitted after the 8-4 loss to the Rockies. “I’m putting the team in terrible spots, giving up runs early, putting our batters in tough spots. Confidence? For sure, all-time low. But I’ve had lows, I’ve had highs in this game, and I’m just trying to be professional, show up every day and give it my best. The team deserves better.” It was a moment of reflection that resonated across the team; however, one that could not rewrite the months of mounting concerns.

Since throwing the first career complete-game shutout back on May 9, the star spiraled into a 12-start funk that contained a 6.38 ERA, seven losses and zero wins. The inconsistency was too consistent for the team clinging to slim playoff hopes. Cardinals Oli Marmol later clarified the decision, highlighting that it was not a knee-jerk reaction, but rather a final step after repeated trials to help Fedde course-correct. “He understood it. He was a pro about it. He understood that we gave him several starts to try to correct and get on the other side of it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t translating into games”, the manager said.

However, it was not all doom and gloom. In the same breath that Marmol acknowledged Fedde’s departure, the manager laid out a vision for what is next. That approach contains 24-year-old Michael McGreevy. He held the Rockies to just two runs over seven solid innings earlier in the week. “It gives us a real shot. It’s an upgrade and the timing of it is good,” Marmol said and he was sounding anything but regretful. “Being able to come here and win Game 1 when he gives you seven innings is a big deal. Inserting that every fifth day is exciting”, he added.

As for Fedde, his story with the Cardinals ends not with a bang, however, a brutal stretch of missed scope. Acquired just before last season’s deadline in a three-team deal, the $15 million righty was thought to help stabilize the rotation. Instead, the star leaves with a 5-15 record across two seasons and the realization that sometimes, a fresh beginning is needed—for both sides.

With the Cardinals officially moving on from him, focus now shifts to how the star’s exit could ripple across MLB—specifically, in a market where desperate contenders are grasping for any form of pitching help.

Dodgers target Erick Fedde as powerful bargain amid mounting injuries

As the Dodgers watch their pitching depth evaporate, a new—and rather unexpected—scope could have surfaced. The Cardinals’ decision to designate Fedde for assignment has opened the door for the Dodgers, which, as per multiple reports, has already shown interest in the veteran right-hander. Despite Fedde’s disastrous 9.64 ERA and five losses over his last seven starts, the Dodgers could see Fedde as a low-cost patch amid the team’s enhanced injury crisis.

While Erick Fedde’s current performance leaves a lot to be desired, the star still provides one trait the Dodgers desperately need—availability. With Tanner Scott already on the injured list and Ben Casparius likely following, the team is short on stars who can simply eat innings. Even as a bullpen option and a spot starter, Fedde could serve as a temporary bridge until more reliable reinforcements like Blake Snell rejoin the team after his recovery. Given current status, the Dodgers would not need to cough up vital resources to acquire him—an added bonus with the deadline looming.

What makes this more plausible is the Dodgers’ history of rolling the dice on struggling stars at the period of tight spots. The team has taken chances on pitchers with far worse track records than Fedde and it would not be a shock if the team scooped the stat up to help weather the storm. While fans are understandably hoping for a larger splash, Fedd could just be a stopgap outcome in a time of need.

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