A Braves-White Sox trade to fix the fifth starter problem in Atlanta

Through 42 games, the 2024 Atlanta Braves are heavily underperforming from a statistical standpoint. Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna have struggled mightily, and Spencer Strider is set to miss the entire season. Still, they sit with a 26-16 record, good for second in the NL East.

They also have a glaring hole in their starting rotation. The fifth starter spot, filled by Bryce Elder, hasn't exactly been on the same level as the other four starters. With a powerhouse built like Atlanta, they will absolutely look to the trade market to fill this hole and their answer could be the ace in the Windy City.

A Braves-White Sox trade to send Erick Fedde to Atlanta to fill the hole in their rotation

Erick Fedde has been phenomenal for the White Sox this year. Absolutely phenomenal. His performance in 2024 has seemingly come out of nowhere, as he pitched in Korea last season. The 31 year old sits on a two year deal with Chicago and is a perfect trade candidate for the rebuilding White Sox.

Enter the Atlanta Braves, who would love the services of a pitcher like Fedde.

Making a trade for the veteran Fedde may not be too overly complicated. His track record isn't supportive of continued dominance, which would obviously lower his value a bit. Luckily for the White Sox, he's been consistently dominant this season and that's all they care about.

The Braves could package a deal of two pitching prospects, Cade Kuehler being the headliner of the deal and Allan Winans to sweeten the package. Kuehler, 21, sits in Single-A and carries a ton of potential down the line to be a starter in the big leagues. He's made just eight professional starts and has been rather impressive in them.

Winans is on the older side, currently 28 years old. He provides the White Sox with a more developed arm that could hold down a spot in a big-league rotation in the near future. This package may be enough for Chicago, but they may need another player, depending on how much they truly value Erick Fedde.

For Atlanta, this deal is a no brainer. They need to fix that hole in their rotation. Erick Fedde would be a perfect combination of production, controllability and cheap that the Braves need to explore this option before the season's trade deadline.