The high-profile three-team trade that sent switch-hitter Tommy Edman from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Los Angeles Dodgers might go down as one of Andrew Friedman’s finest moves. However, the same can’t be said for Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak, who made the deal to acquire right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham from the White Sox. Despite the Cardinals’ attempts to justify the trade, it hasn’t aged well.
Ahead of the postseason, few anticipated Edman’s impact for the Dodgers, but he has become a key reason the team is now just two wins away from their eighth World Series title. Named NLCS MVP, Edman shined in the series against the Mets, batting .407 with an impressive .630 slugging percentage.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are set to begin a rebuild this offseason after missing the playoffs entirely.
Dodgers traded for Tommy Edman with hopes of pennant push
Many within the Cardinals organization are attempting to justify the trade, with the most common reasoning being that Edman likely wouldn’t have achieved the same success in St. Louis that he’s found in Los Angeles. While this might be true, it misses the main point: the trade was all about postseason performance.
Circumstances have shifted significantly for the Cardinals since the Edman trade. At the deadline, they were still in the playoff hunt and made the move hoping it would strengthen their roster just enough to secure a wild card spot. At the time, there was a solid argument that the trade could benefit both sides, but the acquisitions of Fedde and Pham didn’t deliver.
Both players fell short with the Cardinals. Fedde’s ERA rose from 3.11 in 21 starts with the White Sox to 3.72 in 10 starts in St. Louis. Pham, who was eventually designated for assignment when the team’s postseason hopes faded, later thrived with the Kansas City Royals, hitting .333 in October before the Yankees eliminated them in the Division Series.
In the end, the Cardinals were left with a starter whose performance declined and a veteran outfielder they let go. Now, let’s consider what they gave up.
At the time of the trade, Edman was still recovering from offseason wrist surgery and didn’t debut with the Dodgers until mid-August. By then, the Cardinals were no longer in the playoff race, making Edman’s departure effectively neutral in the short term for St. Louis.
What the future holds
Looking ahead to next season offers a new perspective. The Cardinals parted with a versatile utility player and 2021 Gold Glove winner in Edman, who demonstrated strong offensive promise during his 2019 rookie season, though he hit around league average over the next three years.
While Edman’s return wouldn’t have significantly impacted the Cardinals this season, his recent performance with the Dodgers shows he still has the potential to be an offensive force, with another year remaining on his contract.
One defense of the trade is that Edman would have left the Cardinals following the 2025 season regardless. While true, the Cardinals could have capitalized more on his trade value next season, especially if he maintained his current level of play. Trading a healthy Edman next year could have brought a higher return. Although the move might have seemed reasonable for the Cardinals at the time, it fell flat the moment they were eliminated from playoff contention, with little room for justification.
The trade’s impact could be significant on the Cardinals’ upcoming rebuild. In hindsight, trading Edman this offseason or next could have provided more valuable long-term assets. Now, the Cardinals are forced to strategize their rebuild without Edman, watching as he excels in the World Series.
Leave a Reply