With football season officially over, baseball quietly reclaims attention as teams finalize rosters ahead of spring training.
For the White Sox, that transition included answering lingering rotation questions in a way that felt more familiar than exciting.
Chicago reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Erick Fedde, completing a rotation still searching for stability.
Fedde’s return marks an unexpected reunion, bringing back a pitcher whose recent journey has been anything but steady.
He enjoyed a strong first half with the White Sox in 2024, posting a 3.11 ERA before being dealt at the trade deadline.
That stretch represented the peak of his resurgence after reinventing himself overseas in Japan.
Since leaving Chicago, Fedde’s performance declined rapidly, bouncing between multiple organizations throughout 2025.
Stints with St. Louis, Atlanta, and Milwaukee painted a picture of inconsistency rather than reliability.
While relief work briefly stabilized his numbers, his time as a starter became increasingly problematic.
Underlying metrics offered little comfort, as command eroded and strikeout rates dipped noticeably.
His sinker and cutter, once effective, were hit hard, signaling a loss of feel rather than bad luck.
The White Sox now hope familiarity can reverse that trend, leaning on pitching coach Brian Bannister’s past success with Fedde.
If he recaptures his 2024 form, Fedde could serve as a stabilizing innings-eater or trade deadline asset.
If not, he risks becoming a drag on a team trying to climb out of recent struggles.
Chicago’s rotation already carries uncertainty, making the margin for error especially thin.
Alternative options existed, including more reliable veterans capable of absorbing innings without volatility.
Instead, the White Sox chose familiarity, prioritizing low risk over higher upside.
Young arms waiting in the wings soften the downside, offering potential replacements if Fedde falters.
Still, the move feels less like progress and more like settling.
As camp opens, optimism remains cautious rather than confident.
This reunion may quietly work, or quietly fail.
For now, it stands as a reminder that sometimes filling a need does not mean fixing a problem.
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