Fedde continues to prove value as Trade Deadline approaches
ARLINGTON -- The White Sox are in the midst of a forgettable season, but there’s still a sense of excitement every time right-hander Erick Fedde starts.
As manager Pedro Grifol explained a few hours before Fedde’s latest start, “I love watching him pitch because he never gives in. It doesn’t matter what type of adversity he’s facing or what type of traffic is going on, he’s always under control and he finds a way to navigate through it.”
Fedde proved his manager right on Monday night, turning in another terrific performance by allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings. However, it ended up being the same story for the White Sox as they endured their MLB-worst 25th blown save in a 4-3 loss to the Rangers in 10 innings at Globe Life Field.
“Anytime we have the lead late, we’d love to win,” Fedde said. “It’s just sometimes the way it falls.”
It’s fallen like that often for the White Sox. They have now lost 37 games after holding a lead and 29 when scoring first.
For Fedde, the focus shifts to the July 30 Trade Deadline. He’s among the most-talked about players as the deadline approaches. Contending teams covet the 31-year-old right-hander for what he has done this season as well as being under control for $7.5 million next season.
Fedde acknowledged that day is on his mind as the White Sox have multiple players who could be dealt.
“Obviously that day is looming on the club, but we’ve got to worry about doing our job at the field,” he said. “That’s how I try to look at it. Just show up to work, do exactly what’s expected of me, if not more, and then whatever happens, happens. That’s the only way to really look at it.”
Fedde isn’t alone in taking that approach. It’s similar to infielder Paul DeJong, who belted a solo home run in the ninth to give the White Sox a short-lived 3-2 edge.
Like Fedde, DeJong is among the potential players on the trading block but is trying to block out the noise.
“We’ve got to play for each other,” DeJong said. “With all of the unknowns, we’ve just got to look around the room and say, ‘This is our team today and let’s find a way to win as a group.' Pull for each other and not be thinking about something else.”
Sometimes, that is easier said than done in this type of season, but Fedde and DeJong were examples of doing just that in the series opener.
Fedde made just two mistakes, giving up solo home runs to Marcus Semien in the third inning and Leody Taveras in the fifth inning. Outside of that, he worked out of jams and racked up five strikeouts, including two against Rangers All-Star shortstop Corey Seager.
It was the sixth straight road start in which Fedde has allowed three runs or fewer.
Asked what was working, Fedde said: “Just my normal mix. Honestly, my sweeper was better than it’s been in a while, been working on it a little bit and felt like it was a really big weapon today.”
DeJong, meanwhile, battled back during his ninth inning at-bat against Rangers closer Kirby Yates, taking advantage of a 2-2 fastball up in the zone.
In the end, though, those efforts weren’t enough to carry the White Sox to a victory. John Brebbia was charged with a blown save, giving up a two-out, game-tying single in the ninth. Then Steven Wilson took the loss in the 10th, giving up a two-out single to Wyatt Langford.
“That was a gut punch,” Grifol said. “I thought our guys battled all day long. These guys were ready to play and they played really hard.
“I thought the effort was good. I know this is not a league that you win games just on effort, but it’d be a severe problem if there wasn’t any effort. As long as they give us their very best every single day, win or lose, I’m good and they did today.”