It's a sluggish hot stove season globally, but locally, the White Sox have been among the busiest teams. Chris Getz acquired five players for Aaron Bummer, which included two potential starting pitchers and half of a middle-infield renovation, with the other half arriving a week and a half later.
Yet none of it felt particularly meaningful, because none of the half-dozen players offered much in the way of upside. Mike Soroka's sixth-place finish in the Cy Young gave him the highest potential ceiling, but that came five seasons and numerous injuries ago. Jared Shuster had first-round pedigree but Day 2 results in Atlanta's rotation. Nicky Lopez and Paul DeJong upgraded the White Sox's middle-infield defense, but at the expense of lowered offensive ceilings, and Braden Shewmake doesn't seem likely to usurp either.
It's not that the White Sox lacked a rationale in making each move. It's that the bar had been set so low that so much could constitute improvement without coming close to transforming the product. The additions mostly just seemed designed to get White Sox games over with, for better or for worse.
The Erick Fedde signing isn't Getz's first free agent signing, but it's the first Getz free agent signing that conveys real ambition.
PERTINENT: White Sox signing KBO MVP Erick Fedde to two-year deal
The excitement requires qualifications due to the quality of competition. Fedde overmatched the KBO with a new-look arsenal, but he'd probably do the same if he spent entire year in Double-A. Part of the reason why the Sox have to go after somebody like Fedde is because they're not going to pony up for players who had strong seasons at the highest level domestically.
That also creates its own brand of refreshment, because there's something to be said for not knowing how good Fedde can be. That can't be said about Lopez and DeJong, which is why you're hearing so much emphasis on their fundamentals. Shuster requires a rejuvenation that hasn't occurred, and Soroka's body could always give way.
Fedde represents enough that's new to forgive the White Sox if he turns out to be more of the same. The White Sox acquired him from a market they've long ignored. They successfully conducted negotiations with an agent they've been loath to deal with directly. They're exploring a strategy that the new assistant GM witnessed up close in Arizona, and they leveraged the knowledge and connections of the new senior pitching advisor. "I know this guy from San Francisco" is a whole lot more inspiring than "I know this guy from Kansas City."
SOX MACHINE PODCAST: 2023 Winter Meetings Day 2 Recap: Hello, Erick Fedde
If all of that's for naught, then that's why Fedde required just $15 million for his services, and he'll just be a meat shield for pitching prospects who aren't quite ready to be relied upon in the majors. If he proves to be an acceptable, durable No. 4 starter, then the two-year deal gives them a head start on the 2024-25 to-do list. If he's actually good -- like, Merrill Kelly or Logan Webb good -- then the Sox have an actual asset to contemplate.
White Sox goggles aren't required to see such upside. Here's the report from FanGraphs' board:
His fastball looks heavier (70% GB% in 2023!), and he has upped his changeup usage. His newly-shaped slider was easily his most dominant pitch in 2023 and generated 41% of Fedde's swings and misses. The chase rate on his changeup and slider was up around 40% for both pitches, and Fedde looked rejuvenated despite working as many innings as he did. He has a chance to make an impact similar to the one Merrill Kelly has made in Arizona and slot into a contending team's rotation.
And here's Eno Sarris' instant reaction:
For a team drastically in need of innings, this sort of signing makes a lot of sense. Worst case, Fedde can be a back end guy for them and soak up innings. Best case they get a discount Logan Webb for a couple years.
He'll need plenty of reps before anybody can cross that bridge, but the spectrum of possibilities makes me look forward to watching Fedde's first few starts and comparing it to the Statcast data he left behind in Washington. There aren't that many players who inspire genuine curiosity, rather than the morbid brand that's matched the state of the team.
