After a week of discussions during which the baseball operations group explored both short-term alternatives and long-term ramifications, the Cardinals have elected to turn to Erick Fedde, as scheduled, for a start Saturday against Atlanta.
The right-hander has struggled to regain the familiar feel and movement of his most effective pitches in his past three starts and experienced his ERA mushrooming by a run.
Manager Oliver Marmol made the announcement Thursday as the Cardinals finished a three-game series with Washington.
"We're going to give him another shot at it," Marmol said.
The choice is more layered than just a July start ahead of the All-Star break.
There is, for the Cardinals, the trade deadline to consider and not much time between this week and July 31 for trends to change.
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Marmol said there was "no doubt about it" that factors beyond the mound played into the decision, though he declined to elaborate.
John Mozeliak, the Cardinals president of baseball operations, said at Wrigley Field this past week that right-hander Michael McGreevy is ready for a spot in the rotation in the majors, and he has pitched well when given that opportunity. A possibly goal for the Cardinals is to use the trade deadline to create that opening for McGreevy to spend the final two months of the season in the rotation.
Or, they do have the power to just do so sooner without a trade.
The Cardinals are open to trading several of their pitchers who can be free agents at the end of this season, and Fedde's contract ends shortly after this fall's World Series. The Cardinals acquired Fedde a year ago in a three-team swap that was finalized minutes before the trade deadline. In the deal, the Cardinals acquired Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham from the Chicago White Sox, while dealing Tommy Edman and a prospect to eventually land with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Fedde, 32, had returned from Korea as a triple-crown winner there and signed a friendly, two-year deal to reestablish himself as a starter in the majors, and the Cardinals saw the 2025 half of the deal appealing.
When they made the decision to enter a "transition" year, the flexibility that Fedde offered on a short-term deal was appealing, as was his potential upside as either a starter or a trade piece to move to a contender in need of starting pitching (because there is always a need for starters at the trade deadline). Fedde will be owed around $3.5 million for the remainder of the season.
Fedde as a starter is more appealing to teams and the Cardinals than Fedde in long relief, and Fedde performing as a starter is also, obviously, more appealing for teams looking to add pitching at the trade deadline and offer young talent to do so.
The decision, however, represents an ongoing contrast for the Cardinals who have pledged to give young players a "runway" to show their place in the future of the team and yet have veteran players at prominent spots, and in this case a veteran starting in the immediate future ahead of a prospect in McGreevy.
Fedde was unable to complete the second inning Sunday night at Wrigley Field and allowed three runs on six base runners while only getting four outs. After the game, he expressed frustration with his results and his inability to trust his fastballs to produce outs. Marmol said that night and reiterated Wednesday that "there's more conversation to be had because there are other variables that play into this other than just performance."
Marmol spoke only to Fedde's role on the mound, not on the front office's plans for the trade deadline.
"My hope is that we can get on the other side of (what) his last couple of outings have looked like," Marmol said.
In 18 starts for the Cardinals this season, Fedde is 3-9 with a 4.79 ERA. He is winless (0-6) in his past 10 starts and the Cardinals are 2-8 in those games. During that span, Fedde has allowed 53 hits, 24 walks and a total of 78 base runners in his past 47 1/3 innings while striking out 28. He has a 5.70 ERA in those starts.Â
The Cardinals previously announced that Matthew Liberatore will start Friday night's game against Atlanta.
Sonny Gray has the first-half finale Sunday.
The Cardinals rearranged their rotation earlier in the week to get Gray two starts before the All-Star break and allow for him to start again early when the second half resumes July 18 in Arizona.
