ANAHEIM — The Angels are giving Carl Edwards Jr. another chance.

Edwards, 33, pitched in 297 major-league games heading into the 2024 season, but he had only faced three big-league hitters since then.

After bouncing between the Chicago Cubs’ and San Diego Padres’ farm systems in 2024, and with a winter detour to Mexico, Edwards signed a minor-league deal with the Angels at the end of spring training.

He posted a 1.54 ERA in 11 2/3 innings at Triple-A, with 13 strikeouts and three walks. The Angels gave him a shot as part of a bullpen shakeup on Wednesday. The Angels also brought up right-hander Victor Mederos, optioned right-hander Michael Darrell-Hicks and designated right-hander Ian Anderson for assignment.

“I’m excited to be back to a place where I feel I belong,” said Edwards, who added that he’s comfortable because of his familiarity with former teammates Kyle Hendricks, Jorge Soler and Travis d’Arnaud.

Manager Ron Washington said they wanted to add an experienced reliever besides closer Kenley Jansen.

Edwards has a career 3.54 ERA as a major-league reliever. He briefly tried starting with the Angels at Triple-A, but his performance improved as he moved back to the bullpen.

Edwards said he still throws a fastball and a curveball, but he’s added a changeup.

Mederos, 23, returns to the Angels after brief stints in 2023 and 2024. He allowed 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings in his previous trips, with nine walks.

Mederos has been pitching this season at Class-A, and he has walked just three in his first 15 1/3 innings. Mederos has been starting in the minors, so the Angels wanted to add a pitcher capable of working long relief.

“Maybe this time he’ll come up and he’ll be what we thought he was going to be last year,” Washington said. “He was throwing the ball extremely well, and we needed some length, so he gives us our length.”

The two pitchers who were sent out went for different reasons.

Darrell-Hicks had a rough debut but then he allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings in his next four games.

“I think he has an opportunity to be a big-league pitcher,” Washington said. “We’ll see a lot of Darrell-Hicks before the year is over.”

Anderson, on the other hand, had an 11.57 ERA in 9 1/3 innings, with seven walks. He was a promising young pitcher with the Atlanta Braves before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023, and he’s been battling to return to that level since.

“We hope he gets through (waivers) and can stay in the organization, and we can help him work it out,” Washington said. “Because I know Ian personally, and I know he’s better than he’s shown.”

LINEUP SHUFFLE

Washington moved Soler from the cleanup spot to the leadoff spot, and Taylor Ward went from leadoff to cleanup for Wednesday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Angels’ offense has been stagnant for about two weeks.

“Just wanted to try Jorge in a different spot,” Washington said. “Maybe it’ll awaken him. Got to do whatever we can to get him awake. He did spend a lot of time hitting in the No. 1 spot, and maybe he’ll feel more comfortable there. So it’s just a tweak. I don’t know how long it’s gonna last.”

Soler was hitting .263 with a .785 OPS through Tuesday, and Ward was hitting .220 with a .719 OPS.