4 pitchers KC Royals should target if they lose Michael Wacha

KC Royals could trade for veteran Erick Fedde

Signing a player out of free agency isn't the only option for the Royals to acquire a top starter this offseason. The St. Louis Cardinals are entering a rebuild, and as a result, newly-acquired starter Erick Fedde is likely to be available for trade — and he may not be as expensive as some would think, even after a strong 2024 campaign.

Fedde signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Chicago White Sox before the 2024 season, setting him up to make $7.5 million in 2025. It's a substantially lower salary than anything the Royals would pay a top free agent (or Wacha, if he exercises his player option), and the Cardinals would likely only ask for one or two prospects in return.

In 31 starts split between the White Sox and Cardinals this season, Fedde put up the best stats of his career, posting a 9-9 record with a 3.30 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 154 strikeouts. This was his first year back in MLB after pitching the 2023 season in South Korea's KBO League, and it's clear he's sorted out a lot of issues that plagued him earlier in his career.

The Royals are trending upwards, and Fedde appears to be as well.