Veteran righty Carl Edwards Jr. went unclaimed on waivers following his recent DFA and has been assigned outright to the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Edwards has enough service time to reject the assignment in favor of free agency.
The 33-year-old Edwards signed a minor league deal with the Angels and was summoned to the majors last week. He made two relief appearances and tallied three innings, during which he yielded three runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts. He’s pitched 11 2/3 innings in Triple-A Salt Lake already, allowing only two runs on 14 hits with a 25% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate.
Earlier in his career, Edwards was a top-ranked pitching prospect who eventually became a setup man with the Cubs. From 2016-18, Edwards was a fixture in Chicago’s late-inning mix, pitching 154 1/3 innings of 3.03 ERA ball with a gaudy 34.2% strikeout rate, 54 holds and a pair of saves.
Edwards has slipped into journeyman status since that brief peak. Following his departure from the Cubs, the lanky right-hander has pitched for seven different big league teams — never spending more than two consecutive seasons with any individual club. He’s accumulated only 124 innings since 2019 and posted a 4.28 ERA, 20.9% strikeout rate and 11.5% walk rate in that time.
If he chooses, Edwards can return to the open market and chat with other clubs about a potential deal. However, the Angels’ bullpen has been a mess this year, with a collective 4.75 ERA that ranks 26th in baseball. The Halos are currently without righty Ben Joyce due to shoulder troubles, and right-hander Robert Stephenson is still on the mend from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Kenley Jansen is the only truly established reliever in the Angels’ bullpen at the moment, though 2024 trade deadline pickup Ryan Zeferjahn, former starter Reid Detmers and 2024 draftee Ryan Johnson have all impressed in small samples thus far. Given the uncertainty in Ron Washington’s relief corps, Edwards may feel there’s a quick path back to the majors if he simply stays put with the Angels.
I usually don’t mind depth, but edwards is one that’s okay to see leave.
Welp, back to NASCAR.
A team can’t shop at Good Will and expect to put together a Nordstrom wardrobe. That’s a horrible pitching staff analogy but that’s all I got.
Thx bud- Gonna use that on my next dive: Good Will Hunting
A staff should include some Buck Mason and Todd Snyder for sophisticated elevated basics. Some Mango and Cos for affordable reliability and some short term Zara contracts that can be dumped at the end of the year.
Check out the duds on Brad!
Im genuinely thinking of starting a go-fund me for the billboard on State College blvd that begs Arte to sell the team. Has that happeend before?
I’d support you.
The Angels are averaging 38,000 attendance this season. This is despite the big market team having the longest streak of losing seasons in the MLB, the longest playoff drought in the MLB, a .444 record, a terrible farm system, etc. There is no incentive for Greedy Arte to shop anywhere else than Goodwill. He’s probably working on ways to hit garage sales to avoid those high Goodwill mark ups.
He has far better shot at getting back to MLB here than in most organizations.
Not surprised he stayed.
@halosheavenjj. That’s why I have a problem with it, it’s another saurez. When he returns it will be a 6 run implosion, and Washington will bring him into close to rest kenley with a one run lead.
Without actual prospects at the AAA level this cycle will continue.
@halosheavenjj. What’s up eric torres? Is he hurt. I would give him a shot. Unless he got released.
Carl Edwards wanted to go fast. He went fast.
At least he didn’t go up in flames like his protege Ricky Bobby
Brought to you by Carl’s Jr.
I’m from the northeast so I call him Hardee’s.
Cubs call to Edward’s in 3..2…1
@jhanley108. He’s back with the angels.
Condolences
He had a good run