Crime & Safety MLB Investigating Racist Messages Sent To Cubs' Carl Edwards "No player should be expected to bear such personal attacks especially based on the color of their skin," Edwards' agent said. Replies (6) Chicago Cubs' Carl Edwards Jr. throws during a spring training baseball workout, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File) CHICAGO, IL — Major League Baseball is investigating racist messages sent to Chicago Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. on Instagram this month. Edwards was optioned to Triple-A Iowa after he had trouble with his motion and got off to a tough start this season. Lee Long, Edwards' agent, said the messages came from a couple different people. "I've known CJ for a long time and while he has mentioned being upset at social-media attacks in the past, the recent incidents are completely beyond normal fan frustration," Long said Tuesday in a statement. "No player should be expected to bear such personal attacks especially based on the color of their skin." Theo Epstein, the president of baseball operations for the Cubs, condemned the content of the messages and said the club supports MLB's investigation, which was first reported by The Athletic. "In a sport that celebrates diversity and unites people from all backgrounds, we are appalled anyone claiming to be a fan would send divisive and bigoted insults to a player," Epstein said in a statement. "Whether spoken, posted or published, this type of reprehensible language and views cannot be tolerated in our game or society." The 27-year-old Edwards, who is black, declined comment through a spokeswoman for the Iowa Cubs. "It doesn't surprise me, but then on top of that you have to really understand that whomever this came from, I really believe it's a vocal minority," Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon said before their game in Miami. "I don't believe it's anything to get too worked up about. It would be wonderful to be able to find out exactly who it was and then confront those people head-on. But I think it's a just product of social media, people looking for acceptance, likes." Edwards was selected by Texas in the 48th round of the 2011 draft. The wiry right-hander was traded to Chicago in July 2013. Edwards helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016. He went 3-2 with a career-low 2.60 ERA in 58 games last year.<doc-sep>Deeper, darker emotions had already stirred inside Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. when he got demoted to Triple-A Iowa earlier this month. He could understand the baseball reasoning behind the move, the need to clear his head and reset his pitching mechanics in the minors. But what he saw on social media leading up to that decision went beyond the standard criticism of a player’s performance. It reached the level of hate speech. Amid his early-season struggles, Edwards received racist messages on Instagram that have drawn the attention of Major League Baseball, Cubs officials and the players’ union, multiple sources told The Athletic. “We are aware of the situation,” an MLB spokesperson said Monday. “We have a team that works with social-media companies to take appropriate actions in situations like this.” At major-league stadiums across the country on Monday, the baseball industry celebrated Jackie Robinson Day.<doc-sep>MLB is investigating racist messages that were directed at Chicago Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. earlier this month, a league source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. The Athletic first reported Tuesday morning that the league was looking into multiple racist messages that were sent to Edwards on social media. Edwards, 27, was optioned to Class AAA Iowa on April 6. In a statement to multiplenewsoutlets, Cubs president Theo Epstein confirmed that the league is investigating the matter and mentioned one message in particular, describing it as a "racist, profanity-laced social media message." “In a sport that celebrates diversity and unites people from all backgrounds, we are appalled anyone claiming to be a fan would send divisive and bigoted insults to a player," Epstein said. "Whether spoken, posted or published, this type of reprehensible language and views cannot be tolerated in our game or society." Edwards' agent, Lee Long, told news outlets that Edwards had been upset by social-media comments directed at him in the past but these recent remarks "are completely beyond normal fan frustration." "No player should be expected to bear such personal attacks especially based on the color of their skin," Long told ESPN and The Athletic. "CJ has made a point to mention how appreciative he is of the Cubs fans for their support. Furthermore, we are very appreciative of the efforts of the Cubs, MLB and the union in addressing this matter." The news of MLB's investigation came one day after Jackie Robinson Day, when coaches and players wore No. 42 to commemorate Robinson's major league debut. According to research by USA TODAY Sports, there were only 68 African-American players on opening-day rosters this season – a mere 7.7% of players. Eleven teams didn't have more than one African-American player on their 25-man roster, and three teams had none. Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.<doc-sep>Jamie Sabau/Getty Images Major League Baseball launched an investigation into racist messages sent to Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. on social media before he was demoted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs on April 6. On Tuesday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported the comments caught the attention of MLB, the Cubs and the MLB Players Association. "We are aware of the situation," a league spokesperson told Mooney. "We have a team that works with social media companies to take appropriate actions in situations like this." Edwards struggled mightily during the 2019 season's early stages. He allowed six earned runs in just 1.2 innings (32.40 ERA) with three hits and five walks allowed across four appearances. It was a stunningly poor start for one of Chicago's most reliable bullpen options over the past three years. The 27-year-old South Carolina native had been working on a new delivery during spring training before MLB informed him it was an illegal motion just before the regular season started. "It would've been nice if they had told me in spring training, but it is what it is," Edwards told reporters. "It doesn't matter. I just went back to what I used to do." The right-hander posted a career-best 2.60 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 52 innings last season for the Cubs. He's shown signs of a return to form since his demotion to the minors, though the sample size remains small. He owns a 2.25 ERA in four innings with three strikeouts. Edwards should return to the majors in short order based on his previous track record. For now, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein provided a statement to The Athletic about the situation: "We were shocked by the racist, profanity-laced social media message sent to Carl Edwards Jr. earlier this month. We vehemently condemn the content of the message and are supporting Major League Baseball's investigation to identify the person responsible. "In a sport that celebrates diversity and unites people from all backgrounds, we are appalled anyone claiming to be a fan would send divisive and bigoted insults to a player. Whether spoken, posted or published, this type of reprehensible language and views cannot be tolerated in our game or society." No timetable was provided for the completion of MLB's investigation.<doc-sep>
Major League Baseball is investigating a racist Instagram message that was sent to Chicago Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. around the time he was demoted to Triple-A, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic and confirmed by ESPN. Edwards, 27, has struggled mightily on the mound this season, racking up a 32.40 ERA in just 1 2/3 innings. The Cubs demoted him on April 6 so he could have some time to clear his head and hit the reset button. “We are aware of the situation,” an MLB spokesperson told The Athletic on Monday. “We have a team that works with social media companies to take appropriate actions in situations like this.” The Cubs and team president Theo Epstein released a statement about the incident, via the Chicago Tribune. “We were shocked by the racist, profanity-laced social media message sent to Carl Edwards Jr. earlier this month. We vehemently condemn the content of the message and are supporting Major League Baseball’s investigation to identify the person responsible. “In a sport that celebrates diversity and unites people from all backgrounds, we are appalled anyone claiming to be a fan would send divisive and bigoted insults to a player. Whether spoken, posted or published, this type of reprehensible language and views cannot be tolerated in our game or society.” Chicago Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. (6) during the first game of a three game home series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs on April 5, 2019, at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. (Getty Images) Edwards has not spoken about the message or released a statement, but his agent, Lee Long, spoke to ESPN. "While he has mentioned being upset at social media attacks in the past, the recent incidents are completely beyond normal fan frustration. No player should be expected to bear such personal attacks especially based on the color of their skin. CJ has made a point to mention how appreciative he is of the Cubs fans for their support. Furthermore, we are very appreciative of the efforts of the Cubs, MLB and the union in addressing this matter." There are just 68 African-American players in baseball today, amounting to 7.7 percent of all players. Despite the hate-filled message he received, Edwards still has a lot of confidence in his arm and his talent. He told the Tribune just before his demotion that “I’m a great baseball player. I’m just going through a rough patch right now. It’s like a storm.” More from Yahoo Sports: