Cubs News: RP Carl Edwards Jr. Optioned to Triple-A Amid Early-Season Struggles

The struggling Chicago Cubs have demoted reliever Carl Edwards Jr. following a rough start to the 2019 season.

Per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday, Edwards will be optioned to Triple-A Iowa. 

Edwards, 27, has been one of many problems for the Cubs pitching staff as they try to dig their way out of a 1-6 hole. 

Chicago's team ERA of 7.85 is the worst in Major League Baseball. The 8.54 mark from the relievers ranks 29th, ahead of only the Washington Nationals (9.64). 

In four appearances this season, Edwards has allowed six runs on three hits, five walks and two home runs in 1.2 innings. His control issues have been a problem for the previous two years, with 5.3 walks per nine innings from 2017-18, but he got away with it by striking out 161 in 118.1 innings. 

Even though it's still early in the year, the Cubs need a spark because they are six games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. Demoting Edwards now gives him time to tinker with his mechanics so he can come back to the big leagues ready to make a positive impact on the team.