Fans of the Cardinals express excessive excitement upon a previous player achieving success again
When the chips are down, it's natural to lose your cool at every new obstacle that pops up. Yet, it feels like every time a Cardinal leaves St. Louis before getting a fair shake or flops out, they seem to find success elsewhere. And you know what? Tommy Edman's departure to the Dodgers and his subsequent success might as well have been written in the stars.
It seemed almost prophetic that when Edman was traded to LA in the Erick Fedde deal, he was going to shine for them and make Cardinals fans pull their hair out all over again. Guess what? That's exactly what happened. In the 2024 World Series title run, Edman was a force to be reckoned with, earning NLCS MVP honors while hitting .407 with 11 RBI. What's more impressive is his versatility – he can play shortstop, second base, center field, and even the corner outfield and third base.
Edman landed a five-year, $75 million extension with the Dodgers this offseason, and he's been tearing it up in 2025. In just his first 18 games with LA, he's slashing .235/.274/.529 with six homers and 14 RBI, good for a 122 wRC+ as he's become a vital part of their lineup.
Now, Cardinals fans are going nuts, but let's take a step back. I've got to be honest, I think the outrage has reached a level of overreaction.
Is Tommy Edman's success with the Dodgers a testament to a blunder by the Cardinals? No way!
Here's the gist, and I'll elaborate further: Yes, I loved what Edman brought to the Cardinals during his time in St. Louis, but he wasn't—and shouldn't have been—part of their long-term plans. Two things can be true at once – Edman can be a perfect fit for this Dodgers team, and yet not be necessary for St. Louis anymore.
Before the 2024 season, Edman had just two years of club control remaining with the Cardinals. The looming five-year, $74 million deal he received from the Dodgers wasn't one that St. Louis should have shouldered.
Masyn Winn is the present and future shortstop for the Cardinals. Brendan Donovan manning second base is a better player than Edman and has been producing even more offensively. Victor Scott II may not be the player Edman is right now, but he's not going to command a $15.65 million annual salary like Edman does. Scott has been dynamic in his own right to start the year, and the Cardinals have high hopes for him moving forward. Oh, and JJ Wetherholt is coming, and he'll snag one of those infield spots at some point.
So where was Edman going to play? Sure, he could play over Scott, but is that the best use of their roster and both players' value? No, it isn't, and while Erick Fedde might not be as flashy as Edman, he's a valuable asset for the Cardinals' roster right now and beyond this season.
Not just Cardinals media, but pundits around the game believed that the Cardinals made a smart move when they acquired both Fedde and Tommy Pham, letting go of Edman to do so. While we'd all love every trade to be a win-win, it takes value to get value, and a player like Fedde deserves that.
The Cardinals could stumble if they don't maximize Fedde's value at this year's trade deadline or get a compensation pick for him this offseason, but the trade itself value-wise was not a mistake, nor was letting go of Edman in the long term. Had they not traded him at the 2024 deadline, he would have been a top trade candidate this offseason for them. Maybe they get a prospect package instead this time, but I still think the value of Fedde is worth the trade.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this, and I'm just sharing mine. I'm choosing to be happy for Edman. I'm excited to watch him play in LA this week. Edman is a great person who plays the game the right way, and he made St. Louis proud during his time there. But sometimes paths diverge, and it's not anyone's fault. The Cardinals are in a transition phase of their franchise, and Edman was primed to contribute for a contender. The Cardinals have cost-controlled options at every position Edman could help them at, and paying over $15 million a year to keep him around was not worth the value they could get in return for him.
Who knows, perhaps I'll look back on this and be proven wrong. If Edman keeps cranking home runs at a crazy rate like he has to start the year and becomes a 25-homer-a year guy, we'll need to reevaluate this. But as much as I like Edman, I don't see that as sustainable.
In the end, the Edman trade remains a win-win for the Cardinals and the Dodgers, and the White Sox ended up losing yet another trade. I just don't see Edman's recent success as an indictment on the Cardinals.
- Tommy Edman's current success with the Dodgers is not necessarily a testament to a mistake by the Cardinals, as his departure and exemption from their long-term plans makes room for their cost-controlled options like Masyn Winn, Brendan Donovan, and Victor Scott II.
- The Dodgers' acquisition of Tommy Edman in the Erick Fedde deal was not just a smart move for LA, but also a necessary trade that required surrendering value.
- In the 2025 season, Edman's impressive performance for the Dodgers demonstrates his potential to thrive in a contender's lineup, making him a valuable asset for them, but not a necessary component for the Cardinals' success.
- Despite the contrasting outcomes of Edman's tenure in St. Louis and his success with the Dodgers, it's important to acknowledge the potential long-term benefits the Cardinals gained from the Erick Fedde trade, and that Edman's career trajectory might not be a sustainable 25-homer-a-year pace.
