In yet another under-the-wire deadline deal, the Cubs traded right-handed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. to the Padres, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers tweets. The once-trusted setup man had clearly seen his standing with the organization slip, as evidenced by a recent demotion to Triple-A Iowa.
The Cubs are getting lefty Brad Wieck back from the Padres in return for Edwards, per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Chicago will also send $500K in international bonus pool money to the Padres in the deal, per Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. All indications are that the San Diego organization will take over the remainder of Edwards’s $1.5MM salary.
Edwards Jr. will join a strong bullpen unit in San Diego, offering value as a buy-low candidate with a high ceiling if Padres management can resolve the issues that have driven his fall from grace this season. While the Pads find themselves outside the playoff picture in 2019, the addition of Edwards could pay dividends in years to come; the 27-year-old will remain under team control through the 2022 season, which would seem to jibe with the Padres’ desired timeline for contention. If Edwards can return to form in San Diego, the Padres will add yet another bullpen weapon to its already-deep arsenal.
Wieck, meanwhile, is slightly younger than Edwards and has two more years of team control, which makes him an attractive long-term relief option. However, he lacks the Major-League track record and electrifying potential that made Edwards a mainstay in recent Cubs bullpens. While Chicago still finds itself in position to contend, Jed Hoyer and company viewed Edwards as a change-of-scenery candidate and may not have seen an opportunity for him to contribute to this year’s team. Replacing him with Wieck, while likely not improving their chances in 2019, may provide insurance against possible departures of veteran cogs: Pedro Strop, Brandon Kintzler, and Steve Cishek will all be free agents at season’s end, and there are few internal options outside of that group.
Wieck’s 2019 numbers are not pretty—his 6.57 ERA, fueled by allowing 2.6 HR/9, won’t inspire any optimism in Cubs faithful—but there are signs of promise. Despite the struggles, he’s struck out 11.3 batters per nine innings, good for a 3.44 K:BB ratio. In 2018, between Double- and Triple-A, he struck out 70 batters in 46 1/3 innings while walking just 17. He’s certainly not a finished product, and it’s questionable whether he provides more value to a contender than a diminished version of Edwards; however, with the extra years of team control and good strikeout stuff, the Cubs believe Wieck will grow into a more valuable long-term asset than the Edwards, who may well be a lost cause.
Over a three-year stretch from 2016-2018, Edwards established himself as a key member of the Cubs’ bullpen. Tossing 154 1/3 innings of relief over that span, Edwards posted a 3.03 ERA while striking out 12.4 batters per nine innings. However, his fortunes took a turn for the worse this season, as his ERA has ballooned to an unsightly 5.87. His strikeout numbers, while still impressive, dipped slightly; while his command issues haven’t waned, his 5.51 FIP seems to have been inflated by an increased proneness to the long ball, as he’s already allowed 3 in just 15 1/3 innings of work.
oof
Good move by the Friars Edwards has had very good years, strong ERA until this yr when he had some problems with Mgt
Hmm…
Muy interesante
we’ll keep getting deadline news for another week now at this rate.
Why? Thought the plan was to add to the bullpen.
The Cubs added added to the bullpen, by definition, in getting rid of him. Next to go should be Strope. He hasn’t been the same since getting injured running to first base.
Cubs got Brad Wieck in the trade. A much needed lefty for the bullpen.
A lefty who gives up 1 homer about every 3 2/3 innings. Best be hopin the wind is blowing in from the north if he faces right handed hitters…..
Yeah, weick sucks guys. That God we found someone to take him
Weick is hot garbage and Edward is trash
This is actually a downgrade for the cubs
Look at their stats and WHIP career wise Edwards is a stud compared to Weick, I see Weick going to the minors
Don’t know a thing about this Wieck guy but CJ has to go. Never lived up to full potential but was clearly a deer in headlights this year. I wish him well. Almost got the save in game 7 of the World Series. Had his moments. But as they say on the Wall – “His watch has ended”.
Unfortunate to say but addition by subtraction.
lol
There is a reason he was exchanged for Edwards Jr. You’ll learn soon enough.
No! Not him! I wanted him to stay..
anyway he’ll get hit hard off of by la sooo
This is a bummer. I know the kid has struggled, but I’ve always liked him and the arm talent is top-notch.
If he can’t develop even an ounce of mental toughness and confidence, he’ll never become a trustworthy pen arm
He’s now working with one of the best pitching coaches in the league. Time will tell but I believe the odds are on the Padres side for success.
Balsley and the Padres have a good history of taking rejects and turning them into all-stars (Brad Hand, Kirby Yates). The magic did not work with Wieck, maybe it will with Edwards!
Darren Balsey is a great Pitching coach for the Friars and Edwards will have his 3 ERA back soon.
Well, that is bad
Insightful comment. Why … ?
Because unicorns are real and they fart rainbows. True, my 6 y/o daughter told me
Haha padres bullpen besides Yates is going to be trash
Since July 15th, roughly the time they started to call up a bunch of young guys, the padres gave the second best bullpen era in all of baseball
And Yates hasn’t really been pitching towards that because there have been very very few save opportunities
Boom! good job Pete
False. Munoz, Stammen, Baez, Perdomo, WIngenter, Quantrill, and Morejon have all shown solid promise in the pen.
Lots of envy speaking, you must be a disgruted Orioles fan
:)
now Carl’s Jr. can get his In-n-Out
Underrated comment.
So, will you be calling him Big Carl?
Good for Edwards. He needed a change of scenery. He was not coming back up for the Cubs again.
Agreed he has talent fresh start do him some good I hope tryed to hard couldn’t get out of his own head
Russell needed the same thing. But I’m guessing as early as November 15th russell will be gone.
This guy used to throw heat. I hope Balsley could get him back into form because he could really help our relief corp.
Good news for Edwards, he needed to get to an environment better suited for his needs. I think he is in a much better place for success in that environment.
Poor Carl.
For Machado’s extra gum and bag for baseballs but no balls included
So long head case and best of luck.
A dig then a “best of luck?” The heck.
Can you deny he was a head case? Wished him luck. Hope he pans out for someone.
The dig cancels out the best of luck.
Perfect. Either way I was only going to say it in one post. I’ll stick with the first half then and hope he fails.
It’s unfortunate Carl’s tenure with the Cubs didn’t pan out the way both sides had envisioned, but hopefully a change of scenery to a non-contender can do his nerves some good
2020 will show you who the non contender is Friars best Cubs as the older guys fade away in Cub land
Older guys?
So much potential, so little confidence…
And Addison Russell, please say “and Addison Russell.”
Screw that, you can keep that garbage out of our org. I’d rather have Ian Kinsler.
I think this is a solid pickup for the Padres… if he can return to even close to the P he was the past couple of years they will have a very formidable relief unit heading into 2020 (anchored by Yates of course). If they continue adding as opposed to subtracting from this roster I think they could actually surprise some people (myself included) next season.
I’m still not a huge fan of how much they gave up for Trammell but if he is as good as they apparently think he is – then maybe they’re really onto something in SD.
Off to Camp Balsley with him. Next year’s Brad Hand.
We gave up one for one in that Trammel deal, Allen will not stick in the Bigs with a 6.75 ERA and so it was Reyes for Trammel, trammel is a four tool OF with lots of upside and young, Reyes is a one tool guy, HR or K, no defense no speed
For Brad Wieck
Brad Wieck coming to Cubs?
Win for padres most likely Edwards has potential to be good with some therapy
I still have my Carl’s Jr jersey from Players Weekend two years ago. I will also have a place in my heart for him.
You must have liked his cleats?
Stop embarrassing yourself.
Who made you MLBTR post police? Self anointed turds are the worst…. scram fascist
Go find your peter and play with it.
Cubs fans fighting to be the one to drive him to San Diego
Car ride is too long….. Hyperloop
Boring….
Padres fans are fighting to be the one to drive Wieck to the county line to drop him off. You guys can have him from there.
Mr. Maddon, was Carl Jr. suffering from plantar fasciitis?? Bet that was his issue.
You’re an insole salesman. I can smell it.
Don’t be so insolent.
Cubs fans don’t seem to be so inconsolable from this trade.
Not at all. The sole purpose was to point out a salesman.
This will be good for carl Edwards Jr. I was really hoping the cubs were gonna trade Russell.
Padres did much better on this one… Didn’t like Wieck very much lol
Edwards has filthy stuff. A complete head case that could really pay off for San Diego. Cubs certainly didn’t give up on him without a fight.
Bingo. Well put.
Not having him in the pen is like adding a capable reliever. Good riddance.
Padres should use this guy as an opener or 8th inning guy, should of flipped trammel or josh Naylor for a good starter.
2020 we’ll have eight SP’s fighting for five spots when the call comes to bring up the young studs from the farm, farm system is No.1
Good move for San Diego. If he gets it right between the ears, they’ll have a young-ish veteran whose pitches in a World Series, to anchor their pen in their competitive window that started this year. If not, they gave up
nothing. Excellent move. I can hope this was for a 40 man roster spot for Chi, but it still is a pointless trade. Should’ve added Russell and gotten Kinsler, or an actual, usable bullpen piece.
Wieck was on Padres 40 man…sorry another loss for Cubs
Weick is such trash, so happy to get rid of him
So far the Cubs have continued to disappoint. It will now be the Cards, the Brewers and a fight for third between the Cubs and the Reds.
Keep telling yourself that. This is a minor league trade.
Every trade they made will help them significantly.
Cubs really gave away two former high leverage pitchers in Montgomery & now Carl Edwards Jr.
Montgomery wanted to start. Edwards Jr was a head case and needed a change of scenery. It’s a win win situation
And International bonus money, too
Yawn. Another Jackass Preller move.
To get rid of Wieck for anybody or anything was a genius move by Preller.
Yeah exactly… I have had my fair share of criticism towards Preller, but gaining a bounceback candidate and ridding them of Wieck is a great move to me.
AJ made a great move here thanks AJ
That’s Preller specialty jackass moves for 5 years.
The line on Weick does not look encouraging. Maybe Weick and Edward Jr. can each benefit from a change of scenery. Edwards Jr. could not put it together for whatever reason but the guy has some good stuff and an arm for the Padres to work with.
Good for CJ. He will benefit from a change in scenery
Edwards departure freed up some $ needed after Castellanos trade. Padres gets some bonus money for their trouble along with a guy who once had upside. I think there is a good chance both players fall off 40 man during the winter.
Cubs are the ones who got the international bonus money,
Only throws a fastball that is 94 mph and no movement…serves up meatballs just pick one to deposit in the pacific.
Highlight of my day! WIECK IS GONE! WIECK IS GONE! Thank you Lord.
Carl needed a change of scenery and I think if he can be figured out then he could give the Padres their closer if or when Kirby is traded. For the Cubs they are getting a young controllable lefty and you can never have enough of those especially with the situational way baseball has gone. I wish nothing but the best for Carl and hope he can figure out that throwing the ball over the plate is or could be his greatest asset.
Wieck’s value is nothing and will be even less next year when the rules of facing 2 batters go into effect. I highly doubt the Cubs will want that guy around.
Edwards needs a change of scenery. I have no idea what we got in return. Based on his numbers it’s not good. Hi am thinking this trade has something else to it. It shows the other players if you don’t perform you will be moved.