A Cardinals-White Sox trade to solve fifth starter conundrum

A few weeks ago, many were ready to smash the panic button on the St. Louis Cardinals season. They were struggling, badly. Nothing was going right. Their best players were playing horrendously, the fan base was struggling, and their manager was losing the clubhouse.

But as Paul Goldschmidt has resurrected his season, the Cardinals have done the same. Now, with their season trending upwards, they could look to be buyers at the trade deadline rather than selling away their talent in a fire sale.

One spot they need to find a solution for is in their starting rotation. Steven Matz has found himself on the injured list and Miles Mikolas has been replaceable as well.

A Cardinals-White Sox trade that gives St. Louis a solid number 3 starter

Erick Fedde of the White Sox has been one of the more surprising starters in the entire big leagues this year. Fedde played overseas last season and has returned to the big leagues in impressive fashion.

The 31-year-old has a 2.80 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, both well better than league average. This is the kind of production that a team like the St. Louis Cardinals could use in their rotation, while a rebuilding team like the White Sox doesn't need it as badly.

The Cardinals aren't as desperate for a starter as some of the teams in baseball, but they still could use Fedde over some of their starting options.

A one-for-one trade for one of their more developed pitcher prospects could work very well in both teams' favor. Michael McGreevy, St. Louis' 14th-ranked prospect, comes to mind as a trade of pretty even value.

McGreevy, 23, is a rather polished prospect who is on the verge of cracking the MLB for good. He could find his home in Chicago, cracking their roster soon after a trade would be finalized.

He isn't the electric arm that many teams are looking for in 2024, but he pounds the zone and mixes his pitches well. McGreevy is a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect that would be worth a deal for Fedde.

For the Cardinals, they likely won't see McGreevy making a major impact on the team this year or next. Trading him makes sense for their organization. Acquiring Erick Fedde pushes them in the right direction, opening up the possibility of having one of the more consistent rotations in baseball.

The Cardinals are still floating around .500 and aren't guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. But if they want to increase their odds, making a trade like this is almost a necessity.