DENVER -- Left with nowhere else to turn with struggling starter Erick Fedde, who has been in one of the worst funks of his MLB career, the Cardinals designated the veteran right-handed pitcher for assignment on Wednesday morning.
The move comes on the heels of Fedde surrendering seven hits, six earned runs and two long home runs over three innings of work in the Cardinals’ 8-4 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday night. Afterward, Fedde took the blame for another lopsided loss and admitted that his confidence had been shaken by a 2 1/2-month stretch in ineffective pitching.
“The truth is I’ve been awful and I’m putting the team in terrible spots, giving up runs early and putting the [Cards’] batters in tough spots,” he said. “Confidence, for sure, an all-time low. I’ve had lows and highs in this game and I’m just trying to be professional, show up every day and give it my best. The team deserves better and I’m trying to pick it up.”
Fedde’s loss on Tuesday capped a long stretch of struggles for him. Since pitching the first complete-game shutout of his career on May 9 in a win over the Nationals, Fedde went 0-7 with five no-decisions and a 6.38 ERA over a 12-start stretch.
“He understood it. He was a pro about it,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, who met with Fedde at the team hotel on Wednesday morning. “He understood that we gave him several starts to try to correct and get on the other side of it. Unfortunately, it wasn't translating into games.
“He was working hard at it, but he also understood where we are as an [organization], and that it opens up a spot for one of the young guys [Michael McGreevy] that's going to contribute moving forward.”
Fedde, who was acquired on July 29 of last season just before the MLB Trade Deadline, is scheduled to become a free agent at season’s end. The Cardinals had hoped he could build some value in July and become a trade piece that would return prospects for the future. However, after another dismal outing where he gave up 400-plus-foot home runs to Mickey Moniak and Ryan McMahon, the Cardinals made the decision they could no longer continue to start him if they hoped to cling to their slim chances of landing an NL Wild Card playoff spot.
The Cardinals recalled right-handed reliever Andre Granillo on Wednesday to replace Fedde on the active roster. The move also opens up a spot in the rotation for McGreevy, who limited the Rockies to seven hits and two earned runs over seven innings of work in Monday’s 6-2 victory.
“It gives us a real shot,” Marmol said of the change from Fedde to McGreevy. “It’s an upgrade, and the timing of it is good. Being able to come here and win Game 1 when [McGreevy] gives you seven [innings] is a big deal. Inserting that every fifth day is exciting.”
McGreevy has been promoted four times to make spot starts this season. Marmol said earlier in the week that the club had hoped to keep the former first-round pick around for the rest of the season to work alongside pitching coach Dusty Blake and learn about the challenges of facing MLB hitters.
“He’s done a nice job and he’s handled every assignment, and some of them have been pretty tough -- from [facing the Dodgers] to [facing the Cubs] to Coors Field,” Marmol said. “He’s done a really nice job of responding to every opportunity. Now, it will be good to get him into a rhythm where we’ll get to see him every fifth day and make some strides.”
Fedde, 32, came to the Cardinals along with veteran slugger Tommy Pham last July in a three-team trade with the White Sox and Dodgers. Fedde won seven games with the White Sox before being traded to St. Louis, where he complained of fatigue late last season. He was 2-5 with a 3.72 ERA over 10 starts late in 2024, and went just 5-15 with a 4.69 ERA in 30 starts with the Cardinals over parts of the past two seasons.