Chicago Cubs

Carl Edwards Shows Off New Pitching Style as Spring Training Opens

Edwards had a solid 2018 season, but debuted a change in his mechanics Wednesday

The Chicago Cubs are gathering at spring training in Arizona, and one of the team’s key bullpen pitchers is experimenting with a slightly different delivery.

Reliever Carl Edwards, who had a 3-2 record and a 2.60 ERA in 58 games last season, threw a bullpen session on Wednesday in Mesa, and Cubs reporters immediately noticed something different about the way he threw the ball:

In the video, shot by MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, Edwards is pausing at the end of his wind-up and then delivering the baseball. That style of pitching is one that is used by several big league hurlers, most notably Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, and is a variation of what Edwards was using last season with the Cubs.

The Cubs do have a new pitching coach for the second time in two years, as Tommy Hottovy takes over for Jim Hickey, but only time will tell if the change in mechanics is permanent, or just a spring training experiment.

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