Recent NY Mets free agent signing is getting the Clay Holmes treatment

Tickle Me Elmo, Furbies, and turning a relief pitcher into a starting pitcher have been all of the rage in Decembers past. The last continues to be something MLB teams are interested in. The lack of a need for changing out any battery is a reason why they have leverage over toys of yesteryear. Last year’s gamble by the New York Mets on Clay Holmes went about as well as one could have hoped. They’re aiming to replicate that, on a smaller scale, with one of their latest free agent additions.

Apparently, the Mets didn’t sign longtime MLB veteran Carl Edwards Jr. to give them much in relief. The plan is to stretch him out as a starting pitcher.

Edwards signed a minor league contract so it’s not such a bad plan. What’s puzzling is he never actually started a big league game. However, 14 starts last year in the Mexican Independent League and a 3.38 ERA coming from it shows there is some sense this is a goal worth pursuing.

Stretching out Carl Edwards Jr. to be a starting pitcher option is probably about something else

You can never have enough starting pitching depth. The Mets, right now, have a surplus of it. Their problem is quality. Other than Nolan McLean, who has only made a handful of starts, you’d be wrong to believe anyone else is going to mow down opposing hitters with ease.

The Mets demoted Huascar Brazoban late last season to stretch him out to become a longman in the bullpen. This feels more in-tune with the purpose of stretching Edwards out. Keeping him in the zone to deliver 5 or 6 innings if we’re really lucky, adds value to Edwards’ game.

Edwards last logged significant MLB innings in 2023 as a member of the Washington Nationals. In 300 MLB appearances, he holds a 3.56 ERA. He’ll play nearly all of next year at 34, making this a unique turn of events in his career. One can surmise Edwards is easily replaceable as a relief pitcher. As a starting pitcher of any ability, he’s more intriguing to the Mets and others.

There’s no chance Edwards is in the Plan-A for the Mets’ season blueprints. As an emergency starter or injury replacement for a few rounds in the rotation, it doesn’t hurt to have Edwards around especially when they won’t want to promote and demote any of the kids.