RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Target ~275
CURRENT ADP: 338
ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Carl Edwards is more valuable in holds leagues than leagues that do not count holds, but that should not stop you from scooping him up at the back end of your draft for relatively little. Relievers like Edwards are valuable in that they can bolster your pitching staff for a pretty low cost and provide good ratios and strikeouts. It is sometimes tough to roster guys that do not really rack up wins or saves, but Edwards is a different animal.
Edwards broke out in the minor leagues after being converted from a starter to a relief pitcher. His pedigree got him to AA (as well as some good results), but the Cubs felt that his body would not be able to handle the workload of a full season as a starter so they moved him to the bullpen. The move paid big-time for the Cubbies.
Standing at 6'3", 170 lbs (yes, seriously), the righty fireballer is not nicknamed the String Bean Slinger for nothing. Edwards owns a 3.28 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 3.22 FIP, and 35.8% strikeout percentage in the majors. He has a career K/9 over 12. Last season, Edwards really showed out: in 2017, the 26-year-old posted a 2.98 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 12.75 K/9 on the heels of a 3.75/0.81/13.o0 season in 2016. He has thrown 102.1 IP over the past two seasons and will likely handle a full workload of 60+ innings out of the bullpen this season. Edwards brings everything that a really good relief pitcher has minus the saves, but, if the Brandon Morrow experiment does not work out for the Cubs, Edwards is next in line. Grabbing Edwards around 275 is a no-brainer given what he is capable of and how he has performed during his tenure in the majors.
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