Braves On The Hunt: Former Rival Pitcher Set to Join Atlanta Braves in Blockbuster Trade

It’s early to already be looking at potential MLB trade deadline acquisitions. But it’s fun to imagine the possibilities for the Atlanta Braves, especially since that will mean the team will be competing for the NL East title and a World Series run.

CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa named 10 players on March 19 who could potentially be on the move at this year’s MLB trade deadline. Axisa also included possible destinations for each player.

Axisa labeled the Braves a potential spot for a pair of St. Louis Cardinals pitchers, including starter Erick Fedde, who began his career with the Washington Nationals.

“Fedde could be the best non-Alcantara starter traded this summer,” Axisa wrote. “He’s a very affordable rental ($7.5 million salary) who showed last year that his success in Korea was no fluke.”

Fedde is familiar with the NL East from his time with the Nationals. The right-hander spent the first six seasons of his career in Washington, posting a 21-33 record. He largely struggled, particularly toward the end of his Nationals tenure. Fedde registered a 5.41 ERA and 1.523 WHIP in 102 appearances with Washington.

But Fedde appeared to figure some things out while pitching in Korea during 2023. The right-hander went 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA in 180.1 innings in Korea. That earned him the right to return to the MLB with the Chicago White Sox last year.

Fedde was already a trade deadline acquisition in 2024. The White Sox moved him to the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team trade on July 29. With the White Sox and Cardinals, Fedde had a combined 9-9 record with a 3.30 ERA and 1.162 WHIP.

The Braves didn’t add any external pitchers in free agency this offseason. That’s why national analysts are still linking the team to pitchers set to be on the trade market this summer.

But the Braves enter 2025 very confident in their pitching staff. Spring Training provided the team good reason to be.

Chris Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach appear to be strong options at the top of the rotation. Ace Spencer Strider reminded everyone how good he is too with a stellar spring debut on March 17.

Furthermore, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman has hyped top Braves pitching prospect A.J. Smith-Shawver as a 2025 breakout candidate. The Braves also have Grant Holmes, Ian Anderson and Bryce Elder who are likely make starts before the All-Star break too.

The rotation isn’t without questions. If López and Schwellenbach don’t build on their strong 2023 campaigns and Smith-Shawver doesn’t breakout, then the Braves could hit the trade market for pitching before July.

But if all goes well, it could take injuries in the rotation for the Braves to target starting pitching.

That being said, Feddie would still be a solid addition to the Atlanta rotation. He’s likely a top potential Braves target because of his affordable contract. The veteran is also not likely to cost a lot in a trade package as Sandy Alcántara would.