The St. Louis Cardinals reached a pivotal moment, both in terms of on-field performance and roster management, by designating starting pitcher for assignment just eight days before the trade deadline. To fill his spot on the active roster, right-handed reliever was called up from Triple-A Memphis.
To stars stint with the Cardinals lasted just shy of one year. He was acquired last season in a trade that also brought in outfielder Tommy Pham and sent Tommy Edman—who would go on to win NLCS MVP honors—to the Los Angeles Dodgers. At the time, he had been the top arm on a struggling White Sox staff and had revamped his pitching arsenal during a successful stint in Korea.
However, upon joining St. Louis, he admitted to coaches that the heavy workload he carried in Chicago was starting to take a toll. He finished 2024 with a respectable 3.72 ERA across 10 starts. He entered 2025 as the projected No. 2 starter in the rotation and began the season similarly before things unraveled. After throwing a complete-game shutout against the Nationals on May 9, Fedde failed to win another game. Over his next 12 starts, he went 0–7 with a 6.38 ERA. His overall record for the season now stands at 3–10, and the Cardinals won just eight of the 30 games he started in total.
Practically speaking, the decision to DFA Fedde clears space on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters, giving the Cardinals flexibility for potential reinforcements or incoming trade pieces. With the trade deadline nearing, it was only a matter of time before Fedde was removed from the roster. The team now has seven days to trade him, release him, or pass him through waivers.
Fedde, 32, is still owed about $2.7 million for the rest of the season. The Cardinals could eat some of that salary in a trade, or another team could claim him off waivers and take on the full amount. If he clears waivers and is released, St. Louis would be responsible for most of the remaining salary, minus a prorated portion if he signs with another team.
Future for Michael McGreevy
By parting ways with Erick Fedde, the Cardinals have cleared a path for right-hander Michael McGreevy to secure a more permanent role in the rotation. McGreevy, who delivered a strong seven-inning performance on Monday while filling in for a resting Matthew Liberatore, has posted a 2–1 record with a 3.49 ERA over five appearances (four starts) this season. The organization has long viewed him as major-league ready, though he remained in the minors due to roster constraints rather than performance concerns.
Over the past few weeks, however, Fedde’s struggles made it increasingly difficult to keep McGreevy in Triple-A. As Fedde’s performance dipped below an acceptable level, players and coaches began openly advocating for McGreevy to remain in the big leagues. The Cardinals, who have benefited from an unusually healthy pitching staff this year — having used only seven starters, none due to injury — had to shift from their original plan of easing McGreevy into a role through gradual attrition. Instead, they made a proactive move by designating Fedde for assignment to give McGreevy a rightful spot.
This move was inevitable, regardless of whether the Cardinals decide to buy or sell at the deadline. With Fedde out, the focus now turns to what comes next. After being swept by the Diamondbacks over the weekend, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak hinted on Monday in Denver that the club would begin exploring trade opportunities involving its expiring contracts.
In addition to Fedde, that list includes closer Ryan Helsley and relievers Phil Maton and Steven Matz. Starter Miles Mikolas is also set to become a free agent, though his full no-trade clause and current lack of interest in being dealt complicate any potential move. Further transactions could go beyond rentals, possibly involving players under team control for a limited number of years.
Mozeliak and his successor, Chaim Bloom, are expected to work closely together over the coming week to determine how to best maximize the value of the team’s trade assets while still preserving the organization’s long-term outlook. Fedde wasn’t part of that long-term vision, and while cutting ties with him may have accelerated the timeline, it didn’t alter the team’s overall plan.
Going forward, there will be innings to cover and plenty of chances for McGreevy and others to prove themselves on the mound over the final months of the season.