Nationals' Carl Edwards: Might be ninth-inning option
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Edwards could see save chances if Kyle Finnegan gets shifted into a fireman role rather than being used as a traditional closer, Bobby Blanco of MASN reports.
Finnegan still seems likely to see the majority of save chances for the Nationals this season, but there could be saves up for grabs if the right-hander gets the call earlier in games in tight situations. Edwards would be just one of many candidates who could benefit, with Hunter Harvey, Alex Colome, Sean Doolittle (elbow) and Mason Thompson also in the mix depending on matchups and performance. Edwards' reduced velocity was a concern early in camp, but he hasn't allowed an earned run in his last two Grapefruit League appearances while posting a 3:0 K:BB. The 31-year-old had a solid 2022 campaign in a setup role for the Nats, recording double-digit holds for the first time since 2018.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Concerns about velocity
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Nationals manager Dave Martinez expressed concern Friday about Edwards' dip in velocity, Andrew Golden of the Washington Post reports.
Edwards said he feels fine, but all of his pitches have been down at least a couple of ticks. Maybe that's just part of a routine spring-training buildup, but Martinez told reporters that the situation would be reevaluated Saturday. Edwards was knocked around for four earned runs while recording only one out Friday in a Grapefruit League appearance against the Mets.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Avoids arbitration
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Edwards signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract with the Nationals on Friday to avoid arbitration, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Edwards earned the raise following a resurgent 2022 season which saw him post a 2.76 ERA and 56:25 K:BB over 62 innings. He'll be in the late-inning mix for the Nationals again in 2023, perhaps even seeing some save opportunities.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Pockets sixth win
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Edwards (6-3) picked up the win in Friday's 5-4 victory over the Marlins, giving up three hits and striking out one in a scoreless eighth inning.
The right-hander picked off Luke Williams at first base to help prevent any damage from the three singles he allowed, and Edwards then got the win when the Nationals broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth. The 31-year-old has got his career back on track in 2022 after some injury-plagued campaigns, and since the All-Star break he sports a 2.18 ERA over 20.2 innings with four wins, four holds and two saves, albeit with a 1.45 WHIP and 16:8 K:BB.
Nationals' Carl Edwards: Nabs win against former club
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Edwards (4-3) earned the win in Monday's 5-4 victory over the Cubs, striking out two in a perfect eighth inning.
With the score tied 4-4, Edwards came in to face the team he made his big-debut with back in 2015 and had little difficulty with the bottom of the Cubs' order. The 30-year-old has moved into a high-leverage role with the Nationals, picking up two saves and a win in his last four appearances, and since the All-Star break he's posted a somewhat lucky 3.24 ERA to go with a 1.92 WHIP and 7:5 K:BB over 8.1 innings.
Edwards notched a save against the Padres on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
Kyle Finnegan appeared to emerge as Washington's closer of choice in July, but he handled the seventh inning Saturday and pitched a scoreless frame to pick up the win. It was Edwards who was chosen to close the contest, and he worked around a two-out single to record the save. It may be premature to assume that Finnegan is out as closer, but it's certainly worth noting that Edwards has picked up the past two Washington saves. He's posted a 3.24 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 40:20 K:BB over 41.2 innings on the campaign.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Notches first save
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Edwards picked up the save Tuesday, striking out three and giving up a hit and a walk in 1.1 innings of a 6-5 win over the Cubs.
Edwards entered the game in the eighth with a runner on second and two outs and struck out Willson Contreras to end the threat. In the ninth, he allowed a single and a walk but was able to strike out Nico Hoerner to end the game. It was his first save since 2020 when he was a member of the Mariners. Nationals manager Dave Martinez used closer Kyle Finnegan in a high-leverage situation in the seventh inning, opening up the opportunity for Edwards to close out the game against his former club.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Nabs third win
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Edwards (3-3) picked up the win in Sunday's victory over the Diamondbacks, allowing one hit and walking one over 1.1 scoreless innings.
The right-hander entered the game in the sixth inning with the Nationals down 3-2, and Edwards got rewarded when Keibert Ruiz drove home the winning run in the top of the eighth. Edwards has been effective since joining the Washington bullpen in May, and the 30-year-old has a 3.03 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 35:16 K:BB through 35.2 innings this season, adding seven holds in 30 appearances.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Moving to majors
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The Nationals selected Edwards' contract from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.
Edwards received a well-deserved call-up to the big leagues after he struck out 17 hitters and issued four walks over 14.1 innings at Rochester while submitting an 0.63 ERA and 0.50 WHIP. The 30-year-old has seven prior years of MLB experience, but he's seen sporadic work in the big leagues in each of the last three seasons while turning in a 7.90 ERA over that stretch.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Sent to minor-league camp
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Edwards was reassigned to minor-league camp Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Edwards served as a non-roster invitee this spring after landing a minor-league deal with the Nationals in late February. However, he'll begin the season at Triple-A Rochester after he gave up five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out one in five innings across five appearances (one start) during Grapefruit League play.
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Nationals' Carl Edwards: Signs with Nationals
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Edwards signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Friday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Edwards spent most of the 2021 campaign in the minors and logged a 2.65 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in 17 innings across 18 relief appearances at the Triple-A level. The right-hander will likely be at big-league camp once the lockout is over, but he hasn't made double-digit appearances in the majors since 2019.
White Sox's Carl Edwards: Inks MiLB deal with ChiSox
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Edwards signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Monday. He was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte.
Edwards will fill the spot in the Charlotte bullpen that opened up when Matt Foster was promoted to the White Sox on Wednesday. Before inking the minor-league deal with Chicago, Edwards appeared in seven games at the MLB level between Atlanta and Toronto, working 5.2 innings while giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits and three walks.
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Carl Edwards: Released by Blue Jays
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Edwards (oblique) cleared release waivers and became a free agent Sunday.
Edwards had been on the injured list since mid-June due to a left oblique strain, but he began a rehab assignment earlier in August. The right-hander made four relief appearances and allowed four runs (three earned) in four innings for the Blue Jays, but he'll seek out opportunities with other clubs now that he's healthy.
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Blue Jays' Carl Edwards: Moves rehab to Low-A
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Edwards (oblique) will shift his rehab assignment to Low-A Dunedin on Wednesday, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.
Edwards started up his assignment July 31, working a scoreless inning that day for the Blue Jays' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate. After a week-and-a-half-long hiatus, Edwards is ready to make his next appearance. Because Edwards has been on the 60-day injured list since mid-June, he'll likely require several more outings in the minors before being activated.
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Blue Jays' Carl Edwards: Begins rehab with scoreless outing
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Edwards (oblique) began a rehab assignment Saturday with the Blue Jays' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate, striking out two over a perfect inning.
Edwards resumed game action after he was shut down for nearly six weeks with a left oblique strain. He'll likely move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Buffalo within the next week or two and should be ready to rejoin the Blue Jays when first eligible to return from the 60-day injured list in mid-August.
