Veteran right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. rejected an outright assignment from the Padres following his recent DFA and instead elected free agency, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. He can now sign with any club.
Edwards returned to the Padres on a minor league deal earlier this summer — his second career stint with the organization. The 32-year-old (33 next month) made only one appearance with San Diego this time around, however, and allowed all three runners he faced to reach base (two walks, one hit). He wound up being lifted from the game and bailed out when teammate Yuki Matsui induced a grounder to escape the bases-loaded jam created by Edwards.
Though his lone MLB look wasn’t sharp, Edwards has had a decent year in Triple-A. He’s split the season between the top affiliates for the Cubs and Padres, pitching to a 3.30 ERA with a 22.2% strikeout rate but a grisly 14.3% walk rate. He’s worked both out of the bullpen and, more recently, out of the Padres’ Triple-A rotation, so he’s stretched out for multiple innings.
Prior to this season, the well-traveled Edwards spent the 2022-23 seasons with the Nationals and pitched well out of manager Davey Martinez’s bullpen. In 93 2/3 innings, he tallied a 3.07 ERA — albeit with shaky rate stats (20% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate). A stress fracture in Edwards’ right shoulder ended his 2023 campaign prematurely and limited him to a minor league deal this past offseason. That deal came with the Cubs, but Edwards triggered a June opt-out in that contract after he hadn’t been added to the big league roster and signed a minor league deal with the Padres.
Once a top prospect in the Rangers’ system who went from Texas to the Cubs as part of a prospect package for starter Matt Garza, Edwards has now pitched in parts of 10 big league seasons. He’s logged a total of 280 innings spread across six clubs, with the bulk of his work coming for the Cubs and Nats. Edwards carries a 3.54 ERA with a hearty 28.1% strikeout rate and bloated 12.7% walk rate in the majors.
Back to the Blue Jays!
Had great stuff, however the tenth inning of game 7 in 2016 showed he didn’t have the mental capacity to be a closer. Ten year career nearing an end
Oh, he got 2 very big outs that night.
Old guy, you are 100% correct. The first pitch to Brandon Guyer with two outs changed Edwards entire career. Smoltz said it right away and then the cut to Maddon saying “f—ing go right at him” was the picture is worth a thousand words moment. Stupid 57 foot curve ball instead of fastball down the middle ending up taking him off the mound for the most important out that team has had in 115+ years.
No longer chucking string beans
Well, Carl Jr. can always try his hand at selling burgers.
There’s always ole Jed Hoyer.
Yep
Welcome to boston carl
No, Mike Elias, put that phone down.
Carl is returning to NASCAR !!
Well traveled is one way to put it. Only 8 teams away from tying Edwin Jackson.
Carl Edwards Jr. just left the Padres in the dust. Who will be the next lucky team to take a chance on this well-traveled righty?
Guessing CJ just wants to take the rest of the season off, because there is no way he will get signed to a major league deal.
In that game for the Padres, all he needed to do was throw strikes, He threw 12 pitches and 10 were off the plate. 4 were strikes, but 2 of those were swung at out of the strike zone and 1 was a hit. It was pathetic to say the least.
Carl Edward’s. Would be better off w Ricky Bobby. That dude was a gamer. If you’re not first you’re last.
He’d be idiotic not to choose free agency… brought to you by Carl’s Jr.