ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 2: A detail view of a New York Mets logo on a hat prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 2, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
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The New York Mets entered the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando with some clear pressure to improve the roster.
After a blockbuster offseason last year, the team fell well short of expectations by missing the playoffs entirely. And while there is plenty of blame to go around in Queens, one of the clear culprits was the pitching staff.
The Mets’ starters faltered down the stretch and its bullpen lost its best weapon when closer Edwin Diaz opted out of his contract to become a free agent. Now the team will be targeting new arms as it looks to reset ahead of next season.
And on Monday, the team signed a former World Series champion who could become a factor for the big-league staff somewhere down the line.
“The Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with Carl Edwards Jr. that includes an invite to major league spring training,” SNY Mets reported on X, formerly Twitter. “Edwards Jr., 34, has pitched for eight MLB teams during his 11-year career.”
Edwards has had memorable stints with several organizations, including two Mets division rivals in the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. But he is probably best remembered as a member of the 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series championship team.
In that campaign, Edwards maintained a 3.75 ERA with two saves during the regular season, then appeared in three playoff games. In recent years, though, he seems to have taken a step back on the mound.
“Edwards slipped into journeyman status shortly (after 2016), as his command troubles worsened and his struggles became untenable,” Steve Adams wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “He had a resurgence with the Nats in 2022-23, however, combining for 93 ⅔ innings with a 3.07 earned run average. His 20.1% strikeout rate was a far cry from his Cubs peak, although his 10.6% walk rate was also an improvement.”
Given his breadth of experience, Edwards should be a veteran depth option for the Mets and he could be called upon to contribute to the major league staff at some point. Last year, in appearances with both the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers, Edwards sported a 4.50 ERA with three earned runs and six strikeouts across just six innings. But in 50 ⅔ innings for those organizations’ Triple-A affiliates, he had a 4.44 ERA with 25 earned runs and 57 strikeouts.