The New York Yankees' need for starting pitching has been well documented at this point.
It became fairly clear that the Yankees would pursue starters at some point this season once Gerrit Cole was ruled out for the year with an elbow tear. Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman are on the injured list, and even if they were healthy, the Yanks would have perhaps an average rotation.
Thankfully, the Yankees have been able to get themselves into first place despite a mediocre start on the mound. Reinforcements will be necessary, though, to separate them from the pack in the American League.
Who could New York pursue at the trade deadline, though? One baseball writer has an idea, and it involves a deal with another signature Major League Baseball franchise.
On Sunday, Zach Pressnell of Cardinals on SI suggested that the St. Louis Cardinals could ship veteran starter Erick Fedde to New York, as the two teams look to be headed in opposite directions.
"Of all the Cardinals players who could be shipped to the Bronx, it's Fedde that makes the most sense," Pressnell said.
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"Fedde is on an expiring contract, which is probably a huge factor for the Yankees this season. New York added a few huge contracts to its payroll in the offseason, so trading for Arenado or Gray might not be the most likely option. Fedde or Helsley could make more sense because the Yankees wouldn't be forced to commit to multiple years of paying them."
Fedde, 32, isn't a strikeout guy at all (13 in 27 1/3 innings this year), but he throws innings and limits damage, with a 3.30 ERA and 6.0 bWAR since the start of last season. He's making $7.5 million this season, so he's an absolute steal in terms of payroll.
Though Fedde wouldn't necessarily be a game-changer in New York, he could be a vital piece of the puzzle if he eats enough innings to help keep the Yankees atop the AL East.
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