The Padres need a starting pitcher or two. They may need to go the trade route to acquire arms, given the free agent market. Erick Fedde offers an interesting opportunity.

The St. Louis Cardinals have missed the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2017-2018. There are rumors that they are trading star third baseman Nolan Arenado. If the Cardinals are truly open for business, the Padres should inquire about starting pitcher Erick Fedde.

With Joe Musgrove set to miss the entire 2025 season, the Padres have serious question marks in the starting rotation. After Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Yu Darvish, there are several unproven players vying for the final two spots in the rotation.

Erick Fedde was, frankly, not a great starting pitcher in the league for the first six seasons of his MLB career. Between 2017 and 2022, all with the Nationals, he posted a 5.41 ERA in 102 appearances.

Then, he traveled overseas to play in Korea in 2023. In 30 starts for the NC Dinos of the KBO League, he posted a solid 2.30 ERA with 209 strikeouts to just 35 walks. The Las Vegas native reinvented himself in Korea, adding a sweeper to his repertoire. That new pitch was very effective when he returned to the States in 2024, as batters hit .165 against his newfound sweeper.

He signed with the White Sox ahead of last season in hopes of rejuvenating his MLB career after that brief stay in Korea. It worked, as he posted a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts for Chicago before the trade deadline. Still clinging to hopes of a postseason berth, the Cardinals swung a deal with the White Sox for Fedde’s services. He became part of a three-team trade that sent Michael Kopech and Tommy Edman to the Dodgers, and Tommy Pham joined him in St. Louis.

Down the stretch run this past season, Fedde was solid for the Cardinals. In 10 starts, he owned a 3.72 ERA with a 113 ERA+. Overall, with two different teams in 2024, Fedde turned in a 3.30-ERA, 126-ERA+ season.

The Padres could certainly use a starter like that in the bottom part of their rotation. Even if Fedde has something of a regression in 2025, if he can even be average or slightly better than league average, he would be valuable to San Diego.

Fedde would be a one-year rental, as he is set to be a free agent following the 2025 season. That will likely handicap the asking price the Cardinals will counter with if any trade offers come their way.

Fedde is a fit for the Padres in that sense, as they are trying to bridge the gap until Musgrove returns in 2026. Financially, his contract would be easier to stomach for San Diego than signing a free agent on this hot market. The Cardinals owe Fedde $7.5 million in 2025. That is certainly much cheaper than any pitcher of Fedde’s quality on the free-agent market.

The right-hander would slide in nicely in the fourth spot in the rotation behind Cease, King, and Darvish. He adds length and veteran experience to what is now a very murky and inexperienced back half of the rotation in San Diego.

Also, it’s not impossible to think that Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla could further enhance Fedde’s resurgence since returning from Korea.

The Cardinals likely will want a sizable return for Fedde. Obviously, the Padres are going nowhere near their top prospects of Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries in any sort of trade package. The Padres have a surplus of relievers at the MLB level. Perhaps they can swing a deal for Fedde that involves one MLB-quality reliever with another prospect or two.

If the Cardinals want an MLB-level arm in the package, the Padres could dangle one of Matt Waldron or Randy Vasquez, both of whom are under team control for at least the next five seasons. Both made at least 20 starts for the Padres last season.

Package one of those two starters with a prospect such as Victor Lizarraga (No. 9 prospect in SD). Given the price of starting pitching, the Padres may even need to throw in another lower-level prospect.

The fact that Fedde really has only had one successful MLB season in seven years should temper the asking price. Still, starting pitching is at a premium this offseason. The Padres won’t be able to get Fedde for nothing.

Nick Lee

Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.