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The Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago White Sox have completed a rare three-team trade ahead of Tuesday’s MLB deadline. Details are still trickling in, but here’s what we know based on Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman’s reports thus far.
With Kopech, the Dodgers are getting a former top prospect with a high strikeout rate of 12.2 K/9 this season. However, the rest of his numbers aren’t as pretty. Clearly, the Dodgers think they can get more out of the 28-year-old reliever than the White Sox have.
Meanwhile, Edman has battled various injuries all season long. He’s yet to make his season debut, but once he does return to health, he’ll do so with the Dodgers. When healthy, he’s a valuable piece that can handle second base, shortstop and center field. He brings a career OPS of .726 to the Dodgers.
But the biggest piece of this trade involves the two starting pitchers headed to contenders. Erick Fedde was viewed as one of the best pitchers available ahead of the deadline. The 31-year-old right-handed starter was enjoying a career season with Chicago, but now he’ll get a chance to join a contender, where he’ll hope to pitch in the playoffs for the first time in his career with the Cardinals.
Fedde is under contract through the 2025 season too, giving the Cardinals another year of team control for their new starting pitcher. They also added right-handed slugging left fielder Tommy Pham, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Since Edman hasn’t suited up for a single game this season, it’s hard to view this trade as anything but a move that helps produce more wins for the Cardinals right away.
Related: Los Angeles Dodgers competing with division rivals in trade talks for All-Star pitcher
We knew the White Sox would be trade deadline sellers in some form. Now we finally know which players and prospects they’re moving forward with. For now.
The MLB-level player they received is Miguel Vargas, a 24-year-old who’s played 27 games in left field this season, and 78 games as a second baseman last season in Los Angeles.
With Pham cleared out, Vargas should have a better chance to receive playing time in Chicago. In addition to Vargas, the White Sox also received Jaral Perez and Alexander Albertus. Perez is a 19-year-old second baseman who’s likely several years away from making his debut. Yet he’s already ranked as the 17th-best prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, according to MLB.com.
Meanwhile, Albertus isn’t far behind. He ranks 23rd, and he too is 19-years-old. He profiles best as a second baseman, but he’s also shown some ability to play third and shortstop too.
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