Sources: Fedde has 2-year deal with White Sox
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Right-hander Erick Fedde and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a two-year, $15 million contract, sources told ESPN on Tuesday, bringing the 30-year-old back into Major League Baseball after he won the MVP of the Korea Baseball Organization in his lone season overseas.
Fedde, a former first-round pick who spent six seasons with the Washington Nationals, joined the NC Dinos in 2023 and went 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA and 209 strikeouts against 35 walks in 180.1 innings. Using a retooled slider that evaluators said had improved drastically, Fedde dominated the KBO and returned stateside with a drastically different market than last year.
The Nationals nontendered Fedde last year, leaving him a free agent following a big league career in which he went 21-33 with a 5.41 ERA. At one point a top-100 prospect, Fedde’s four-pitch mix of sinker, slider, cutter and changeup had not translated to major league success.
In Korea, he relied nearly as much on his slider as he did his fastball — and it led to a breakout season. He added more than 3 mph to the slider, and its depth turned it into a legitimate out pitch after his final season with the Nationals in which he averaged just 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
Teams have found success with players returning from the KBO, with the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ Merrill Kelly the foremost example. Following four seasons with SK Wyverns, Kelly signed a four-year, $14.5 million contract. In April 2022, Kelly received a two-year, $18 million extension and thrived this postseason, throwing seven brilliant innings in Game 2 of the World Series.
Chicago’s roster overhaul, helmed by new general manager Chris Getz, is just beginning. The White Sox dealt reliever Aaron Bummer to the Atlanta Braves for a five-player package that included 26-year-old Michael Soroka and 25-year-old Jared Shuster, both of whom are expected to slot into the rotation alongside Fedde. Teams expect the White Sox to trade ace Dylan Cease as they attempt to rebuild an organization with limited depth but a pair of extremely well-regarded prospects in shortstop Colson Montgomery and left-handed starter Noah Schultz.
The White Sox have been active in the free agent market beyond Fedde and could pursue further rotation help there — where the market for backend starters has topped $10 million a year — or via a Cease trade. The White Sox are unlikely to trade centerfielder Luis Robert Jr., though they have been open to listening to offers for the 26-year-old. They also signed shortstop Paul DeJong to a one-year, $1.75 million contract.
WASHINGTON — Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola‘s first start after returning from the injured list didn’t last long.
The right-hander allowed six runs in 2⅓ innings Sunday against the Washington Nationals, a start that ended when seven consecutive batters reached safely.
Nola struck out four in his first major league outing since May 14.
The former All-Star was one of the majors’ most durable pitchers entering the season, making at least 32 starts and throwing at least 180⅔ innings in each of the last six full seasons. But a sprained right ankle and fractured rib cost him three months this season.
His return became even more significant Saturday when Philadelphia placed ace Zack Wheeler on the injured list with a blood clot in his right arm. Nola already was scheduled to start after making three minor league rehabilitation appearances, though the Phillies scrapped their plans to use a six-man rotation.
Nola gave up Luis Garcia Jr.’s leadoff single in the first inning, then appeared to settle in. He retired the next seven batters as Philadelphia built a 6-0 lead.
The Nationals stitched together three consecutive singles in the third, the last by CJ Abrams to score a run. That led to a mound visit from pitching coach Caleb Cotham, but Nola then walked Paul DeJong before giving up Daylen Lile‘s two-run single and Dylan Crews‘ two-run double. Jose Tena followed with a tying double to end Nola’s day.
Nola allowed seven hits while throwing 53 pitches. His ERA rose to 6.92.
In addition to Nola taking Wheeler’s roster spot, the Phillies activated third baseman Alec Bohm from the injured list and optioned infielder Otto Kemp to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room on the 40-man roster for Nola, Philadelphia released outfielder Cal Stevenson.
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley was designated for assignment on Sunday, with catcher Tyler Stephenson‘s thumb injury and a short bench contributing to the decision.
The Reds also recalled right-hander Connor Phillips and outfielder Will Benson from Triple-A Louisville and optioned left-hander Joe La Sorsa to Triple-A.
“We came to the idea of kind of giving Jake a chance to play where maybe he thinks he deserves to play, which I understand, is maybe better than him sitting the bench here,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “Stephenson is banged up. We were a little concerned about playing short, maybe a two-man bench.”
Fraley, 30, is in his fifth major-league season, his fourth with Cincinnati. He is batting .232 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 67 games.
He hyperextended his knee after making an error in left field to allow a run to score in the 10th inning of a 6-5, 11-inning loss to the first-place Brewers on Saturday. Francona said neither the miscue nor the injury factored into the DFA move.
Stephenson reaggravated an injury to his left thumb during the Pittsburgh series and is day to day. Jose Trevino, who was behind the plate Saturday night, got the start for Sunday’s day game.
Francona said the decision on Fraley, a popular player among fans and in the clubhouse, wasn’t easy.
“Not that I needed an excuse to lose sleep last night, but you do, because you’re thinking about it,” Francona said. “You’re making decisions that alter their life. The day when I stop thinking about it, I will re-retire.”
Cincinnati, the only team this season that hasn’t been swept in a series, has dropped the first two games of the three-game set against the Brewers, who have won 14 straight games.
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