White Sox Look Like Winners in Fedde Trade After Rocky First Impressions

Erick Fedde has been designated for assignment nearly a year after the White Sox traded him to the Cardinals in a three-team, eight-player swap. 

The deal, which occurred last July, sent Fedde and Tommy Pham to the Cardinals and Michael Kopech to the Dodgers in exchange for Miguel Vargas and infield prospects Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez. 

At the time, the deal was met with heavy scrutiny, especially given the early returns. Fedde was one of the most sought-after arms on the market after posting a 3.11 ERA and 4.7 WAR in 21 starts with the White Sox. He also owned the lowest walk rate of his career while striking out 108 batters through 121.1 innings. 

Kopech had also racked up nine saves out of the White Sox bullpen, while owning one of the highest strikeout rates in baseball at 30.9% at the time of the trade. The hard-throwing right-hander quickly emerged as a key piece of the Dodgers' bullpen, helping them win the World Series. 

Meanwhile, Vargas was one of the worst hitters in the MLB after joining the White Sox, hitting .107 with a .387 OPS in 42 games. But a year later, Chris Getz's deal suddenly looks very promising for the White Sox. 

Fedde’s strikeout rate has plummeted to 14.1%, which ranks in the bottom 3% of the MLB, after striking out hitters at a 21.2% clip a season ago. Opponents near 45% hard-hit rate is also one of the worst marks in the league. In Fedde’s last five starts, he's allowed 26 runs on 33 hits and 11 walks across 17.2 innings. The final straw came on Tuesday, when Fedde got shelled by the Colorado Rockies, allowing 6 runs in just three innings of work. 

Kopech recently underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, landing him on the 60-day IL, which will keep him out for most of the season. This comes as Vargas has homered in two of his last three games, bringing his season total to 12 on the year with 40 RBIs, leading the White Sox in each category. He has also raised his OPS to .706 on the season, while leading the team with 51 runs scored.

While Vargas has still remained inconsistent at times, he has provided the White Sox lineup with some power and flexibility, with the ability to play multiple positions. His 39 walks and 25 doubles also lead the White Sox. But Vargas may not even be the most impactful piece of the deal. 

Perez has hit 15 homers this season in High-A for the Winston Salem Dash while slugging .430. Meanwhile, Albertus, who recently returned from a fractured tibia suffered last season, is slashing .333/.520/.444 in his first eight games in the Arizona Complex League. 

Regardless, a year removed from the controversial three-team swap, the narrative around the trade has shifted dramatically. If either of the young infielders continues to progress as projected, Chris Getz’s gamble could ultimately be remembered not as a misstep but as one of the more forward-thinking moves of his tenure.