Checked in very early March, and contacted to the major leagues in early May, Carl Edwards, Jr. had background with Nationals' manager Davey Martinez from the moment they invested with each other with Chicago's Cubs, and the 31-year-old, eight-year professional wound up restoring himself as a trusted bullpen arm for Washington this season. "Carl was truly tossing the ball well, " Martinez said when they brought Edwards, Jr. up from Triple-A Rochester. "And I spoke with [Rochester manager Matt LeCroy and we seemed like it was time to get him up below. He did every little thing we asked him to do, he examined all boxes, and I believe he can help us here."" The biggest thing with him was his wellness, " the manager added, ". and like I claimed, he examined all the boxes, he's been back-to-back, he really has gotten four outs down there, so, and he was-- his velo was actually great, it was 95-97, his curveball was good and his changeup was good." Martinez said from the beginning they were hammering one point right into Edwards, Jr.'s head: Throw by G Fiume/Getty Photos "For him, it's all concerning strike-throwing, " Martinez explained. "When he works in advance in the count he does really well, due to the fact that he's got three truly reliable pitches. The greatest thing for me is not to love his cutter. He's got an excellent curveball, he's got a good changeup, so he's got to mix it therein. He can throw his curveball for a strike at any moment, which is something that I informed him when he was actually excellent, he did that." If he followed their guidance, and extra importantly, remained healthy, Martinez continued, they could have something." When he's healthy and balanced, he's great. His velo was down for the last couple years, and currently his velo is back up, so it's great to see, and when you're doing well, you can have a good time. And that's something that I spoke to him about today, simply proceeding to have a good time and let me know, since I absolutely reached maintain an eye on him, however allow me understand how you're really feeling daily, and like I claimed, but you're mosting likely to pitch." Edwards, Jr. wound up making an overall of 57 appearances out of the bullpen for the Nationals, with a 2.76 ERA, a 4.24 FIP, 3.63 BB/9, 8.13 K/9, and a. 224/.301/.351 line against in 62 IP, the 4th-most alleviation innings pitched for the ballclub. After a few seasons managing injuries, Edwards, Jr. stayed healthy and balanced and stuck with the Nationals via completion of the year, with the club hanging on to him at the trade due date, and GM Mike Rizzo clarifying at the time how with the control the club had it made good sense to hang on to the reliever. His pitch mix was basically the like what he would certainly tossed previously, though his heater velo ticked up a little, and the challengers' batting average on the pitch, which he threw 67.9% of the time, fell from.421 in restricted innings in 2021, back to where it had remained in previous seasons.229 BAA). Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images "CJ and I go back, and it was all about wellness with him and tossing strike one, and he did that, " Martinez stated on the final day of the normal season. "He took it upon himself to be much more consistent with throwing strikes, and I recognized, I said the whole time I understood what he might do if that were to take place, however he put the operate in and he did it, and he maintained that bullpen with each other also." In Martinez's mind, Edwards, Jr., and a variety of the relievers that ended up the season in the Nats' bullpen could form the core of the 2023 bullpen corps. "Him, [Kyle Finnegan, even Cishek, [Steve Cishek, he was sensational for us for a long time, and currently he's pitching really, truly well at the end right here, but all those men. [Andres Machado. I can chat about every one of those individuals and what they have actually done. Machado, up and down https://www.chicagoteamsportsshop.com, backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards initial component of the year, and he is available in, resolves in, and he's pitched some big innings for us. Erasmo [Ramrez, who hasn't pitched in the big organizations for a while, can be found in and has the year that he's having. That's outstanding. We maintain that bullpen undamaged, like I stated, I don't think this is a fluke for any one of those men. I believe you'll see them improve."



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