Chicago Cubs: Carl Edwards Jr. looks to get back on track in Seattle

Another member of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs team has found a new home as Carl Edwards, Jr is headed out west in 2020.

Former Chicago Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. The deal will be worth $950K with up a potential additional $500K in incentives.

The lanky right-hander really struggled in 2019 before being shut down with a shoulder injury. With the Cubs, Edwards had a 5.87 ERA in 15 1/3 innings before getting traded to the San Diego Padres for Brad Wieck, who ended up being an important piece of the Cubs bullpen.

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Wieck pitched in 14 games for the Cubs and posted a 3.60 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 10 innings, giving up just two hits and four earned runs.

For the Padres, Edwards had a 32.40 ERA in just two appearances before the injury. Overall he had an 8.47 ERA with a 5.74 FIP. The walks hurt him again, walking 13 hitters in 17 innings.

Prior to 2019, Edwards was a very effective reliever, with ERAs of 3.75, 2.98, and 2.60 in years prior. In the 2016 playoffs, he had a 6.75 ERA in three appearances. His career numbers read as a 3.58 ERA with 236 strikeouts in 176 innings with a 3.38 FIP, a 1.10 WHIP and has only given up 15 home runs.

He’ll have a chance to showcase himself in Seattle given they are going through a rebuild. He’s projected to put together a 4.38 ERA in 39 innings this season, with 44 strikeouts and a save. That would be a decent enough rebound year and maybe a trade chip in July given how cheap his deal is and the one year length.

Edwards wasn’t the only former Cub to sign in Seattle. Kendall Graveman, who spent the whole year on the disabled list, signed for $1.5 million with a $3.5 million option for 2021. Graveman is back where he started in the AL West after beginning his career with the Athletics. In a way Edwards is back where he started in the AL West having been drafted by the Rangers.

All in all, the Carl Edwards Jr.era with the Cubs should be considered a success. Relievers are volatile, and he was a pretty good one for the better part of three years. Sometimes things end badly that cloud judgment on a player, like Carlos Marmol. Edwards and Marmol had very similar tenures as Cubs.

Both were very good for years, but both also ended badly which is more remembered by the fans. Edwards is a good pitcher and hopefully Seattle can help him become the String Bean Slinger once again.