Xavier Edwards Announces departure From Miami Marlins another significant issue for the club

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July 28, 2024 will be a day that Miami Marlins infielder Xavier Edwards will remember for the rest of his life.

On Sunday, he did something only one other Marlins player has done and that was hit for the cycle, the rare feat of hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game.

Edwards, born and raised in Mineola (Long Island), New York, joined former Marlins player Luis Arráez, as the only two to achieve the milestone. Not only did Edwards hit for the cycle, but he also hit his first career home run as well.

What a day the 24-year-old had at the plate against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“It means a lot,” Edwards said. “I don’t think it’s really set in yet, but it’s pretty cool that I got my first homer to start the game, and then I got to cap it off with a single. I would have been pretty upset with myself if I didn’t hit a single. I usually spray a lot of singles, so I would’ve been pretty upset about not getting a single, so I’m really glad I did.”

It came down to the last out of the game for Edwards to get the cycle. On a 1-2 count from Brewers closer Devin Williams, Edwards hit a liner to the shortstop and utilized his speed to beat the throw for an infield single.

Edwards led off the game, launching a solo shot to right field. The infielder made his MLB debut last season with the Marlins, and he appeared in 30 games, finishing with a .295 batting average. It was then that he started to gain some attention and display his talents on the big stage. Entering Tuesday’s game versus the Tampa Bay Rays, in 25 games played this season, Edwards was batting .379 with 33 hits, one home run, nine RBI and an OPS of .956 in 87 at-bats.

His teammate Josh Bell was proud of Edwards’s performance.

“I couldn’t be happier for him, especially establishing himself as an everyday big leaguer, getting a chance and wanting to make the most of it,” Bell said. “I feel like he’s officially established with that.”

On Monday, one day after Edwards’s rare accomplishment, the Marlins placed Bell on waivers. Should his $16.5 million contract go through waivers unclaimed, he will remain in Miami. Tuesday was the MLB trade deadline so there were multiple scenarios that could have involved Bell at the time this story was going to press.

The 31-year-old Texas native has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Marlins. At the start of this week, Bell was slashing .239/.305/.394 with 14 home runs, 49 runs batted in, and a .699 OPS in nearly 400 plate appearances. Additionally, the veteran first baseman has a negative WAR through 104 games this season.

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