Cubs linked to enticing reunion with strikeout artist after strange move

The Chicago Cubs‘ pitching staff has been absolutely ravaged by injuries this season, and that includes the bullpen, where the Cubs are still missing some vital pieces.

Yes, Daniel Palencia is on his way back, but several other relievers are still sidelined, and we don’t even know how Palencia will look once he returns from his lat injury.

The Cubs have managed to go 13-3 over their last 16 games — which included a 10-game winning streak — in spite of all of their injuries, but at some point, it’s going to catch up to them, so they should probably take action now.

Of course, finding options this early in the season is exceedingly difficult, especially with an expanded playoff field. Unlike years ago where some clubs would already be preparing to sell by now, too many teams are still in the playoff hunt.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t any potential solutions, though, and the New York Mets may have just handed a rather familiar option to Chicago on a silver platter: Carl Edwards Jr.

The Chicago Cubs could reunite with Carl Edwards Jr.

The Mets decided to DFA Edwards earlier this week, a rather puzzling move considering that he had logged a 1.50 ERA while registering 11 strikeouts over six innings this season. But it’s the Mets, so nothing they do should surprise anyone at this point.

As for the Cubs? Well, Edwards spent the first four-plus seasons of his big-league career in Chicago between 2015 and 2019 and played a pivotal role in the Cubs’ bullpen during their World Series run in 2016.

In fact, Edwards has been pretty reliable wherever he has gone, owning a lifetime 3.51 ERA while averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. During his stint in Chicago, he posted a 3.30 ERA and a 12.1 K/9, so his best run was certainly in the Windy City.

Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib likes the idea of reuniting with Edwards, and it makes perfect sense.

“Is the pitcher healthy? Do they have MLB experience? If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then the Cubs need to try to bring them into the organization. Assuming Edwards clears waivers, he has the right to refuse an outright assignment. A case can also be made that the Cubs should just skip that step and put in a claim on their former bullpen staple,” Campbell wrote.

Yes, Edwards has always had command issues, but he has also always seemed to wriggle his way out jams. Plus, with Chicago’s bullpen being in such dire straits, the Cubs might just want to snatch the best available option.

We’ll see if the Cubs try and make a move on the 34-year-old.

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