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Carl Edwards Jr.

Nationals Select Carl Edwards Jr.

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The Nationals announced a trio of roster moves, including the selection of Carl Edwards Jr.’s minor league contract to the active roster.  To create space on the 26-man and 40-man rosters, the Nats optioned right-hander Andres Machado to Triple-A and moved right-hander Mason Thompson to the 60-day injured list.

Once Edwards tosses his first pitch for the Nats, it will mark eight MLB seasons for the right-hander, and six different big league teams.  Edwards has seen only sporadic action from 2019-21, tossing 27 1/3 total innings for his five previous teams.  In 2021, Edwards had an 11.12 ERA over 5 2/3 total innings with the Blue Jays and Braves (despite only tossing one-third of an inning for Atlanta, he was still awarded a World Series ring for his contribution to the championship season).

Edwards was a much more prominent member of another title team, tossing 36 regular-season innings and then 6 1/3 postseason innings for the Cubs in 2016.  The righty posted some quality results out of Chicago’s bullpen from 2015-18 before struggling badly over the last three seasons.

Washington signed Edwards to a minor league deal during the offseason, and he has shown signs of a turn-around at Triple-A Rochester.  Edwards has an 0.63 ERA, a 50% groundball rate, a 34% strikeout rate, and an eight percent walk rate over his 14 1/3 innings for the Red Wings.  Considering how the Nationals bullpen has been quite shaky thus far, D.C. has nothing to lose in seeing if Edwards has gotten himself back on track.

Thompson was placed on the 10-day IL exactly one month ago due to right biceps tendinitis.  He had been hoping to start throwing by the end of April, but with no further updates on his progress, it would seem like Thompson will need more time to recover.  Mid-June will now be his earliest possible return date, as the 60-day IL window begins from his initial placement on the 10-day injured list.

Nationals, Carl Edwards Jr. Agree To Minor League Contract

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The Nationals have signed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. to a minor league contract, reports Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (on Twitter). As a minor league free agent, he remained eligible to sign during the ongoing lockout.

Edwards has pitched in the majors in each of the past seven seasons, although he’s only made twelve combined appearances the last two years. The lanky right-hander is best known for his early-career days with the Cubs, where current Nationals manager Dave Martinez worked as bench coach. Edwards was a solid contributor to Chicago’s World Series winning club in 2016, then worked over 50 innings of sub-3.00 ERA ball in each of the following two seasons. Between 2016-18, he posted a 3.03 ERA in 154 1/3 frames, striking out an elite 34.2% of opponents and holding batters to a .152/.271/.250 slash line.

Control was an issue for Edwards even at his best, as he doled out free passes at an elevated 13.5% clip. The walks spiked even more in 2019 (up to 16.7%) and his strikeout and swinging strike rates tumbled that season. The Cubs traded Edwards to the Padres at the deadline, but he quickly landed on the injured list due to a shoulder strain and was eventually cut loose. He signed with the Mariners that offseason but suffered a season-ending forearm strain after just five outings in 2020; Seattle let him go at the end of the year.

Last season, Edwards bounced between three organizations. He signed a minors deal with the Braves and made the big league club in May. Atlanta designated him for assignment after just one day, and Edwards elected free agency upon clearing waivers. He signed with the Blue Jays and was quickly selected to their MLB roster, but an oblique strain sent him to the injured list after only six games. Toronto released him rather than bring him back after he recovered. Edwards signed another minor league deal — this time with the White Sox — late in the season but didn’t get a big league call and reached the open market again at the end of the year.

The past three seasons have obviously been trying, particularly from a health perspective. Yet Edwards had a decent run of early-career success, and he’s still only 30 years old. It’s a sensible no-risk flier for the Nationals, and the South Carolina native should have a decent shot at cracking the big league bullpen if he impresses in Spring Training. Washington’s relief corps was a disaster last year, finishing 29th in ERA (5.08) and 25th in SIERA (4.32). Swingman Paolo Espino is the only returning reliever who worked 20+ innings with a SIERA below 4.00 in 2021.

White Sox Sign Carl Edwards Jr.; Kyle Crick Opts Out Of Minors Deal

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The White Sox signed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. to a minor league contract yesterday, per an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte. He had been released by the Blue Jays earlier in the week.

Edwards has appeared in the big leagues with both the Braves and Toronto already this season. Between the two clubs, he has only tallied 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs. Edwards landed on the injured list with an oblique strain in mid-June and has spent the past couple months recovering. While he recently embarked upon a rehab assignment, the Jays evidently decided to release him rather than bring him back to the big league roster.

It has been a difficult few seasons for Edwards, who was once high-end reliever during his time with the Cubs. Between 2016-18, Edwards posted a 3.03 ERA across 154 1/3 innings for the North Siders. Injury issues and an increasing propensity for issuing walks, however, have knocked him off course in recent seasons.

While the White Sox didn’t announce their deal with Edwards until this morning, that it was finalized yesterday is significant. Players in an organization by August 31 are eligible for a team’s postseason roster, so Edwards could be an option for the ChiSox come playoff time. There’s no question Chicago will reach the playoffs, given their insurmountable lead in the AL Central. Of course, Edwards would have to pitch his way into the big league bullpen to warrant that consideration.

While Chicago adds some right-handed relief depth with the Edwards signing, they’re losing Kyle Crick to free agency. MLBTR’s Steve Adams reports that Crick has triggered an opt-out clause in his minor league deal and been granted his release. The former Pirate signed with Chicago a month ago and tossed 10 1/3 innings of one-run ball with Charlotte, striking out fifteen while issuing just three walks. That strong showing should help him find another opportunity elsewhere in relatively short order.

Blue Jays Place Rafael Dolis On 10-Day IL, Select Jared Hoying

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The Blue Jays announced some roster moves prior to tonight’s game with the Yankees, including the news that right-hander Rafael Dolis has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right middle finger strain.  In addition, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez has been placed on the paternity list.  Filling the roster spots will be right-hander T.J. Zeuch (called up from Triple-A to start tonight’s game) and outfielder Jared Hoying, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A.  Carl Edwards Jr. has been moved from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster spot for Hoying.

The injury continues a tough season for Dolis, who has a 5.14 ERA/4.86 SIERA over 21 innings.  After overcoming some notable control issues (14% walk rate) to post a 1.50 ERA over 24 frames for Toronto in 2020, the free passes became even more of a problem this year, with Dolis walking 17.3% of all batters faced.  That is the ninth-highest walk rate of any hurler in baseball this season with at least 20 innings pitched.

Zeuch will get the start in place of Steven Matz, who is recovering from a positive (but asymptomatic) COVID-19 test.  Since the Jays have an off-day on Monday, this could potentially be the only game they need to fill if Matz is able to return as quickly as possible, though Zeuch could put himself in line for another start with a solid performance tonight.  The 25-year-old righty has 46 career MLB innings to his record since 2019, including a 6.75 ERA over 12 frames of work this season.  Zeuch has been used as a starter, reliever, and bulk pitcher (behind an opener) during his brief career, so the Blue Jays have some flexibility in how they’ll use him as Matz’s replacement.

Hoying signed a minor league contract with Toronto in May, and he now might be lined up for his first bit of big league action since 2017.  Hoying’s MLB resume consists of 74 games and a .220/.262/.288 slash line over 126 plate appearances with the Rangers in 2016-17.  After a brief stay in the Angels organization on a minor league deal, Hoying joined the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO, hitting .284/.345/.498 over 1249 PA in parts of three seasons in South Korea.

Blue Jays Reinstate Patrick Murphy From Injured List

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The Blue Jays announced they’ve reinstated right-hander Patrick Murphy from the 60-day injured list. Reliever Carl Edwards Jr. was placed on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain. Fellow reliever Travis Bergen was activated from the 10-day IL and optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto had a vacancy on the 40-man roster, so no additional move was required to accommodate Murphy’s reinstatement.

Murphy will step right into the Jays MLB bullpen. The 26-year-old made a brief major league debut last season, tossing six innings over four appearances. In that time, he flashed a sinker that averaged just under 97 MPH and a mid-80s power curveball. A former third-round pick, Murphy has long been considered one of the more interesting pitching prospects in the Toronto system. Unfortunately, he’s been delayed by a series of injuries, including a Tommy John procedure and surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome.

Despite the health woes, Murphy’s stuff and track record of acceptable of strike-throwing in the minors has continued to intrigue evaluators. He entered this year among the top 30 prospects in the organization according to each of Baseball America, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs and Keith Law of the Athletic. Another injury- this time a sprained AC joint in his shoulder- had kept Murphy from pitching this season until today’s activation.

Edwards left last night’s game against the Yankees after facing just one hitter. Signed to a minor league deal last month, Edwards has made six appearances since being selected to the 40-man roster. He’s since allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five while issuing a pair of walks.

Blue Jays Select Carl Edwards Jr., Designate Ty Tice

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The Blue Jays announced they’ve selected the contract of reliever Carl Edwards Jr. Fellow righty Ty Tice was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Edwards signed a minor league deal with Toronto earlier this month. He’s tossed four scoreless innings with Triple-A Buffalo since, striking out three without issuing a walk. He’s now in line to appear for his second team of the season, having tossed a third of an inning of three-run ball for the Braves a few weeks ago. The 29-year-old once looked like a building block of the Cubs bullpen, but a series of injuries and increasing trouble with his control has thrown him off course over the past couple seasons. If he rights the ship in Toronto, Edwards could be a multi-year piece, as he’s controllable through the end of next season via arbitration.

The Jays will now have a week to trade Tice or place him on outright waivers. The 24-year-old has tossed seven MLB relief innings this season, his only big league experience to date. Those haven’t gone especially well, as he’s allowed four runs while striking out six and issuing four walks. The former sixteenth-round pick showed a three-pitch mix, headlined by a 94.3 MPH fastball. Tice struck out an intriguing 27.3% of opposing hitters in 2019 at Triple-A.

He also comes with some contractual flexibility that makes it possible another team looking to deepen the relief corps will acquire him via minor trade or waivers. The Jays added Tice to the 40-man roster over the winter, so he still has all three minor league option years remaining. He doesn’t have the necessary service time to reject an outright assignment, so if he clears waivers, he’d likely remain in the organization as non-roster bullpen depth.

Blue Jays Sign Carl Edwards Jr.

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The Blue Jays have signed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. to a minor league contract, per a report from Sportsnet. He has been assigned to Triple-A Buffalo.

Edwards is most well-known for his run with the Cubs. Once a well-regarded prospect in the Chicago system, he made his MLB debut late in 2015 and was an important part of the Cubs’ bullpen over the next few seasons. Despite persistent troubles with walks, Edwards was quite good at missing bats and preventing runs over his first few years. Between 2016-18, he worked to a 3.03 ERA/3.12 FIP across 154 1/3 relief innings.

He’s fallen on hard times since then, though. Edwards got off to a terrible start in 2019, and Chicago flipped him to the Padres for fellow reliever Brad Wieck at the trade deadline. Edwards couldn’t right the ship in San Diego and wound up non-tendered. The Mariners signed him that offseason in hopes of a rebound. To his credit, the righty got off to a strong start in Seattle but a flexor mass strain in his forearm ended his season after just 4 2/3 innings.

The Braves signed Edwards to a minor league deal over the winter. Atlanta selected him to the major league roster earlier this month but designated him for assignment after just one appearance, in which he allowed three runs on as many hits while recording a single out. Edwards cleared waivers and elected free agency.

Now, he’ll look to work his way back to the big leagues with Toronto. The Jays have dealt with plenty of bullpen injuries this season and are still without notables Rafael Dolis, Julian Merryweather and David Phelps (as well as presumptive closer Kirby Yates, who underwent Tommy John surgery before the regular season began). Despite the health woes, Toronto relievers have worked to a solid 2.99 ERA/3.76 SIERA this year.

Braves Announce Roster Moves

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The Braves announced that they have released right-hander Nate Jones and outrighted infielder Sean Kazmar Jr. Additionally, righty Carl Edwards Jr. has elected free agency. The Braves designated him for assignment May 8.

The 35-year-old Jones was designated to make room for Edwards, who didn’t last long on the Braves’ roster. Edwards made one appearance and failed to make a good impression, as he allowed three earned runs on three hits in a third of an inning against the Phillies on May 7. Also a former, Cub, Padre and Mariner, Edwards will return to the open market with a 3.68 ERA and a strong 32.8 percent strikeout rate against a 13.8 walk rate over 181 major league innings.

Jones, another minor league signing, earned a spot on the Braves’ roster after an excellent spring training. But the former White Sox standout struggled in Atlanta across 9 2/3 frames, causing the club to go in a different direction. Jones allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and eight walks against seven strikeouts as a Brave.

Kazmar, a fifth-round pick of the Padres way back in 2004, climbed to the majors for the first time since 2008 this season, though the 36-year-old made a mere three appearances and collected two plate trips to the plate. He’s a .259/.313/.371 hitter with 98 home runs in 6,619 minor league PA.

Braves Designate Carl Edwards Jr. For Assignment

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The Braves announced a number of roster moves today, recalling Jasseel De La Cruz and Victor Arano from Triple-A. To create the roster space, Sean Kazmar Jr. was optioned to Triple-A and Carl Edwards Jr. was designated for assignment.

Edwards Jr. didn’t much of an audition with the Braves. The former Cub, Padre, and Mariner made just one appearance in Atlanta, serving up three earned runs on three hits and a walk. The only out he recorded was a strikeout.  On the bright side, the String Bean Slinger struck out the side in his only appearance in Triple-A. Kazmar Jr. has been called up a couple of times now, but he has just two plate appearances in three games.

As for the newcomers, the 23-year-old De La Cruz has yet to make his Major League debut. The right-hander finished 2019 in Double-A. Arano, meanwhile, made 73 appearances out of the Phillies’ bullpen from 2017 to 2019. He owns a 2.65 ERA across 74 2/3 innings. The Braves claimed him off waivers in January.

Braves Designate Nate Jones, Select Carl Edwards Jr.

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The Braves announced Friday that they’ve designated right-hander Nate Jones for assignment in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for fellow righty reliever Carl Edwards Jr., whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta also optioned right-hander Edgar Santana to Gwinnett.

Jones, 35, inked a minor league deal with the Braves over the winter and parlayed a dominant Spring Training effort into an Opening Day spot in the Atlanta ’pen. Unfortunately, the regular season didn’t bring about the same results as Jones enjoyed in Grapefruit League play. Through 10 1/3 innings this season, Jones has walked 10 batters, hit another and allowed eight hits (three homers). He’s limited the damage to six runs (four earned), but that lack of control ultimately cost him his roster spot.

The oft-injured Jones has scuffled in recent seasons but at one point was a lights-out setup man for the White Sox. He spent parts of eight seasons with the South Siders, pitching to a 3.12 ERA over the life of 291 1/3 innings out of the Chicago bullpen. Whether he can ever reclaim that form remains to be seen, but Jones came out of the gates in 2021 with a still-very-healthy 95.8 mph average velocity on his heater. The Braves will have a week to trade him, pass him through outright waivers or release him. He has more than enough service time to refuse an outright assignment if he clears waivers.

Edwards, 29, will be looking to bounce back from what has been a relatively swift decline in recent years. From 2016-18, he was one of the Cubs’ primary bullpen arms and was quite impressive along the way, compiling a 3.03 ERA while striking out nearly 35 percent of his opponents. Control was an issue (13.5 percent walk rate), but Edwards looked the part of a high-quality, late-inning arm.

However, Edwards began to unravel in Sept. 2018, when he walked 12 of the final 38 batters he faced in a total of just seven innings pitched. He began the 2019 campaign in similarly shaky fashion, pitching to a 5.87 ERA with nine walks, a hit batter and eight hits (three homers) allowed in 15 1/3 frames. The Cubs somewhat surprisingly moved on, and he’s been unable to find his stride again since that time. He looked sharp in a brief stint with the Mariners in 2020 but ended up missing the bulk of the season due to a forearm strain.

If Edwards is able to recapture his peak form, he’ll give the Braves a high-octane strikeout artist who can be controlled for another season via arbitration. Walks will likely to continue to be an issue even if he does find some success, however, which isn’t ideal for a club whose bullpen already has the fifth-highest walk rate in the Majors (12.2 percent).

Whether Edwards rebounds or not, Atlanta could eventually turn to the trade market to augment a bullpen that currently ranks 23rd in the Majors in ERA (4.58), 21st in FIP (4.41) and 25th in SIERA (4.23).

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