Yankees Predicted To Trade For $15 Million Star As Gerrit Cole Replacement

Zach Pressnell is a Newsweek contributor based in Columbus, Ohio. His focus is MLB content. He has an extensive knowledge of professional baseball and all things that come with it after working closely with the sport for years. Zach has been with Newsweek since November 2024 and previously worked at FanSided and OnSI. He is a graduate of Bethany College (WV). You can get in touch with Zach by emailing [email protected].

Zach Pressnell

Contributing Sports Writer

The New York Yankees will be without Gerrit Cole for the entire 2025 season. Cole is set to undergo Tommy John surgery to fix an issue in his throwing elbow.

The Yankees will likely explore every possible free agent and trade target to replace Cole with a reasonable starting pitcher, but that’s much easier said than done.

FanSided’s Curt Bishop recently predicted the Yankees would trade for St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde to help lessen the blow of losing Cole for the season.

Yankees Predicted To Trade For $15 Million Star As Gerrit Cole Replacement — JUPITER, FLORIDA – MARCH 06: Erick Fedde #12 of the St. Louis Cardinals prepares to throw a pitch during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium on March 06, 2025…Rich Storry/Getty Images

Here’s the full deal pitched by Bishop that would send Fedde to the Bronx:

New York Yankees receive: RHP Erick Fedde
St. Louis Cardinals receive: RHP Will Warren, RHP Clayton Beeter

“Getting Fedde would allow the Yankees to add a veteran innings-eater to their rotation to get them by until the trade deadline, when they’ll be able to acquire a top-level starter (and presumably get Gil back for the stretch run),” Bishop wrote. “As for St. Louis, this move would clear a rotation spot for Michael McGreevy and also have Warren available to take a rotation spot if Steven Matz gets hurt or Miles Mikolas struggles.”

The initial reaction to this trade idea is that it’s a severe overpay for the Yankees.

Warren, by himself, likely holds more trade value than Fedde. Warren is one of the best prospects in New York’s system, and he seems ready to crack into the big leagues right now. In fact, if the Yankees don’t make a trade for a starter, Warren will likely begin the season in New York.

But the idea of trading for Fedde makes a lot of sense. He could be a solid innings eater that proved last season that he can compete in the big leagues again. Fedde will likely be much cheaper than a lot of other trade targets.

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