Two former Toronto Blue Jays pitchers elect free agency
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Former Toronto Blue Jays pitchers Trevor Richards and Carl Edwards Jr. have elected free agency.
Richards from the Arizona Diamondbacks and Edwards Jr. from the Texas Rangers.
The Blue Jays acquired Richards and Bowden Francis from the Milwaukee Brewers for Rowdy Tellez in 2021.
Richards (and Adam Cimber) stabilized the Jays' bullpen, helping them push for a postseason spot, falling just short on the final day of the regular season.
Richards moved into a full-time bullpen role in 2021, and over the next four seasons, he was one of the more durable bullpen arms in the league.
From 2021-24, he was one of only seven relievers to throw at least 60 innings each year. He appeared in a total of 226 games and threw 266 1/3 innings for the Rays, Brewers, Blue Jays, and Twins.
Only six pitchers both made more appearances and threw more innings in that span.
His 4.60 ERA was mediocre, but his 4.21 FIP and 3.64 SIERA were more impressive, and regardless, his ability to eat innings out of the bullpen was valuable in and of itself.
The 2025 campaign hasn't gone very well for Richards. He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in the offseason but failed to make the Opening Day roster.
He didn't last long in the majors for either the Royals or the Diamondbacks.
RHP Trevor Richards has elected free agency.
Richards, 32, has appeared in 61 MLB games, including 2 appearances in 2025 with the #Dbacks (2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K).
Richards pitched 21 games for Reno, logging a 5.79 ERA over 32.2 IP.
Richards, 32, has appeared in 61 MLB games, including 2 appearances in 2025 with the #Dbacks (2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K).
Richards pitched 21 games for Reno, logging a 5.79 ERA over 32.2 IP.
All told, he has a 7.94 ERA in 5 2/3 MLB innings this year, and a 5.12 ERA in 31 2/3 innings at Triple-A.
Nevertheless, he could certainly find a new home with a club in need of a proven major leaguer to cover bulk innings.
Edwards Jr stint with Blue Jays brief, working on seventh team
As for Edwards Jr., his tenure with the Blue Jays was brief, pitching just five and one-third innings with four earned runs allowed.
It's been a bit of a nomadic year for Edwards. He signed with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League in March but then was able to get a minor league deal from the Angels a few weeks later.
He was called up by the Halos in late April but was designated for assignment after just three days on the roster.
He cleared waivers, elected free agency and went back to Quintana Roo to rejoin the Tigres. The Rangers then gave him a minor league deal in July.
Texas Rangers RHP Carl Edwards Jr. elected free agency.
Around all those transactions, he has a 4.50 earned run average in six big league innings and a 3.38 ERA in 74 2/3 Mexican League innings.
He has also logged 50 2/3 minor league innings with a 4.44 ERA, 25.8% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 54.9% ground ball rate.
Edwards Jr. has pitched in the big leagues for the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, and Texas Rangers, with the bulk of his playing time coming with the Nationals in 2022 and 2023.
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OCTOBRE 16 | 84 ANSWERS Two former Toronto Blue Jays pitchers elect free agency Will former Blue Jays pitchers Trevor Richards and Carl Edwards Jr get signed in the offseason? | ||
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