The Padres signed right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. to a minors contract, as first reported by the MadFriars X account earlier this week. Edwards has already gotten onto the field with an appearance yesterday with the Padres’ Arizona Complex League squad. This is Edwards’ second stint in the Padres organization, after first playing for San Diego in the latter half of the 2019 season following a deadline trade from the Cubs.
That 2019 season ended up being something of an unfortunate turning point in Edwards’ career, as coming off three very solid seasons as a member of Chicago’s bullpen from 2016-18, he stumbled to an 8.47 ERA over 17 innings with the Cubs and Padres in 2019. San Diego parted ways with Edwards after the season, and he has since bounced around to six different organizations, including another return trip to the Cubs on a minors deal this past offseason.
Chicago released Edwards from that contract in mid-June, as Edwards triggered his opt-out clause in order to force the Cubs’ hand on deciding whether or not to promote him to the big league roster. Edwards had a 1.85 ERA over 24 1/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa, and even though the Cubs have been hit hard by bullpen injuries in the last few weeks, Edwards’ 14.6% walk rate might have been enough of a sticking point for the Cubs to hesitate about bringing him to the majors.
The 32-year-old Edwards will now look to another former team for another crack at getting his first taste of MLB action in 2024. Despite his journeyman status, Edwards has posted solid results over the last two years with the Nationals, including a 2.76 ERA in 62 innings in 2022, and then a 3.69 ERA in 31 2/3 innings before a stress fracture in his throwing shoulder ended his season early.
It has now been over a year (since June 19, 2023) since Edwards last pitched in a big league game, and his work Iowa suggests that Edwards is at least healthy, if some questions might remain about whether or not he’s ready to face big league batters. There’s no risk for the Padres in inking Edwards to a minors deal to see what he’s got, and Edwards now brings an experienced depth option to a San Diego bullpen that has been somewhat inconsistent for most of the year.
Surprised he could still get a job in mlb. Sure it’s a minors contract but a minors contract is a contract
To be pedantic, he didn’t get a job in MLB. This probably won’t impact the ML team in any way, but they’re going to need even mediocre innings at some point, as guys like Waldron and King are having to bear so much of the starter innings (plus a generally overworked bullpen).
Didn’t realize the cubs lets him go or he opted out of his deal
He opted out. Only to take the same deal somewhere else. Doubtful he was ever going to make it to the Cubs , Even as bad as they have been. Should tell you something.
I LOVE ME SOME CARLS JR BURGERS
He doesn’t throw sliders he throws thickburgers
His first time around for the Padres did not go well. Hopefully this time will be better.
So no more NASCAR for CARL EDWARDS ??
I wonder if he will backflip if he gets a save?