Less than a week after electing free agency on the heels of a DFA, right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. is back with the Padres. The two sides agreed to a minor league deal this week, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. San Diego had previously designated Edwards for assignment on Aug. 12. He opted for free agency three days later after clearing waivers.
It’s the second minor league deal Edwards has signed with San Diego this summer and now his third stint in the organization. The 32-year-old only pitched in one game with the Friars during his prior stint and didn’t record an out, allowing three men to reach base. Teammate Yuki Matsui picked him up by getting out of the jam and stranding the bases loaded.
Outside that rough big league appearance, Edwards has generated good results in Triple-A this season, logging a 3.30 ERA between the Triple-A affiliates for the Padres and Cubs. He’s punched out a roughly average 22.2% of his opponents but also struggled to limit free passes, issuing walks at a 14.3% clip in 46 1/3 innings.
From 2022-23, Edwards was a regular in the Nationals’ bullpen, picking up 93 2/3 innings and recording a 3.07 ERA with fairly shaky strikeout and walk rates (20% and 10.6%, respectively). His 2023 season ended with a stress fracture in his shoulder. The right-hander has now pitched in parts of 10 big league seasons and tossed 280 innings between the Cubs, Nationals, Padres, Blue Jays, Mariners and Braves. He has a career 3.54 earned run average that’s accompanied by lofty strikeout and walk rates of 28.1% and 12.7%.
Following a trade deadline that saw them add Tanner Scott, Jason Adam and Bryan Hoeing to an already impressive relief corps, the Padres possess one of MLB’s deepest and most talented bullpens. That’ll make it hard for Edwards to crack the mix, but he was working out of the Triple-A rotation during his prior stint with the club. If the Padres run into some late injuries, Edwards could be an option for spot starts or long relief down the stretch, particularly once rosters expand to 28 players in September.
haggling, MLB style
Pads have alot of pitching depth at AAA with MLB experience!
Seems to be a strategy with the Pads system.
Guys like Jacob and Cosgrove are given looks.Then there is Brito and Vasquez and veterans like Crismat and Edward’s.
All these pitchers on the Chihuahuas know that any point a move could be made and they can be called up, which keeps them ready. The Pads foster an everyone has value to this club’ mindset throughout the organization.
Then there is the chance that if you are around the following season you could be dealt to a pitching needy organization.
Pads are developing a system right before our eyes. Love it!
Mickey – if you are going to mute Tow for thst comment you should just leave the site. Fans saying good things about their team is commonplace – well, fans saying bad things about the team is also commonplace. Tow has done that a lot this year early on but, I gather he is finally seeing that all of his earlier criticisms weren’t necessary.
Mickeying
This guy has a hard time finding the strike zone
Could’ve used him in that Pittsburgh series when Profar was getting plunked every other at bat
Hardees is back! Some pitchers never leave!