For the last month, baseball fans have been buzzing with anticipation, expecting Chicago White Sox General Manager Chris Getz to pull off some big multi-team deals, especially involving Garrett Crochet. While that deal never came to fruition, some significant trades did happen over the past three days in MLB, and they are worth diving into.
First up, let’s talk about the intriguing yet not-so-blockbuster three-team trade involving the White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and St. Louis Cardinals. This isn’t the deal everyone was expecting, where Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. would be sent packing due to Crochet’s comments about needing an extension to pitch in the playoffs. Instead, the White Sox traded away pitchers Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech in a three-team deal. Here’s how it all breaks down:
St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals picked up Erick Fedde, who has had a solid season with the White Sox (7-4 record, 3.11 ERA). Fedde joins a rotation featuring Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, and Lance Lynn. They also brought back Tommy Pham, adding depth to their outfield. Pham, who previously played for the Cardinals from 2014-2018, is expected to provide a veteran presence.
Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers acquired versatile infielder Tommy Edman from the Cardinals and reliever Michael Kopech from the White Sox. Edman, recovering from wrist surgery, offers defensive versatility across multiple positions. Kopech, who transitioned to the bullpen this season, strengthens the Dodgers’ relief corps.
Chicago White Sox: In return, the White Sox received three infield prospects from the Dodgers: Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albertus, and Jeral Perez. Vargas has experience at first base and left field, while Albertus and Perez are promising young talents in the minor leagues. This aligns with the White Sox’s rebuilding strategy, adding depth to their farm system.
Sources: Bleacher Nation and MLB.com
But that’s not all—there were other trades that were made which could effect playoff races. Let’s check out what else they’ve been up to:
Los Angeles Dodgers
Once they were done working out the details of the aforementioned multi-team deal the Dodgers followed up their move from last week when they designated pitcher Ricky Vanasco for assignment so they could make room for Clayton Kershaw who was coming off the 60-day Injured List by trading Vanasco to Detroit for cash considerations. They also made a significant trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, bringing in utility man Amed Rosario in exchange for reliever Michael Flynn. Rosario, hitting .307 this season, could be a hidden gem for the Dodgers. Additionally, they sent left-hander Ryan Yarbrough to the Toronto Blue Jays for center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and later acquired Jack Flaherty from the Detroit Tigers, filling out their starting rotation with a strong pitcher.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox focused on beefing up their pitching staff, acquiring 23-year-old pitcher Quinn Priester from the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Nick Yorke. Priester is expected to be a long reliever. They also traded for Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds and sent four prospects to the Los Angeles Angels for Luis Garcia, adding solid arms to their bullpen.
Chicago Cubs
Many thought the Cubs were done after trading for Isaac Paredes, but they surprised everyone by trading reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to the New York Yankees for infielder Ben Cowles and righty Jack Neely. These pieces could be used in future trades.
New York Yankees
The Yankees bolstered their bullpen by acquiring pitcher Enyel De Los Santos and minor league pitcher Thomas Balboni Jr. from the San Diego Padres for outfielder Brandon Lockridge. De Los Santos, with a 4.46 ERA, is expected to pitch in the 6th and 7th innings.
San Diego Padres
After clearing a roster spot trading De Los Santos the Padres made two more moves acquiring left-hander Martín Pérez from Pittsburgh and making a deal with the Miami Marlins to bring in left-hander Tanner Scott and right-hander Bryan Hoeing. Pérez will likely pitch in long relief, while Scott and Hoeing strengthen their bullpen.
With that… let the playoff races heat up.
If you cannot play with them, then root for them.