Spencer Howard
Spencer Howard | |
---|---|
San Francisco Giants | |
Pitcher | |
Born: San Luis Obispo, California, U.S. | July 28, 1996|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 9, 2020, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
MLB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
Win–loss record | 3–11 |
Earned run average | 7.20 |
Strikeouts | 109 |
Teams | |
Spencer Lee Howard (born July 28, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the San Francisco Giants organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers.
Howard was born in
The Phillies selected Howard in the second round of the
Howard uses four pitches on the mound In addition to his staple
Early life
Spencer Lee Howard was born on July 28, 1996, in
At Templeton, Howard served as both a
College career
Having not received any
The summer after his freshman year of college, Howard played
Howard returned to Bellingham for another season of summer baseball in 2016. Most of his work with Clem that summer was in building his strength, in the hopes that he would become a starting pitcher.
Professional career
Philadelphia Phillies (2017–2021)
Minor leagues
The
Howard spent the entire 2018 season with the
The following season, Howard was assigned to the
Major leagues
On June 30, 2020,
Howard's limited performance in 2020 led to the offseason acquisitions of Matt Moore and Chase Anderson as back-of-the-rotation starters for the Phillies in 2021.[27] Howard, meanwhile, was assigned to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs at the start of the season in order to build his arm strength.[28] Continued issues with Anderson's pitch control and inability to consistently record outs pushed the pitcher to the bullpen on May 21, with Howard called up to fill his place in the starting rotation.[29] Howard struggled with stamina in his first two season starts, with his fastball velocity dropping over the course of the first few innings. Both times, Ranger Suárez was called to the mound to provide long relief, and manager Joe Girardi told reporters that he planned on utilizing the two pitchers together for the remainder of the season, with Suárez providing relief as Howard continued to build strength and experience.[30] On June 29, after five starts of 68 or fewer pitches each, the Phillies optioned Howard to Lehigh Valley.[31] He was called back up for a July 22 start against the New York Yankees after Zach Eflin suffered a knee injury and Bailey Falter was placed on COVID-19 protocols. He pitched three innings on short rest and maintained his velocity on both a fastball and slider throughout the appearance.[32] After leaving the team, Howard referred to his time in Philadelphia as like "trying to polish a turd", contrasting the Phillies' immediate desire to win games with the more long-term pitching development that he had required at the time.[33]
Texas Rangers (2021–2023)
On July 30, 2021, the Phillies traded Howard,
Howard beat A. J. Alexy and Glenn Otto in spring training to become the Rangers' fifth starter for the 2022 season.[38] He suffered a blister and cracked fingernail shortly into the season and was placed on the injured list on April 11.[39] He made 10 appearances (8 starts) for Texas in 2022, registering a 2-4 record and 7.41 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 37.2 innings pitched.
On April 10, 2023, Howard was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain.[40] He was activated on June 5.[41]
New York Yankees (2023)
On August 1, 2023, the Rangers traded Howard to the New York Yankees for cash considerations.[42] He was subsequently assigned to the Yankees’ Triple–A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, where he struggled immensely to a 16.88 ERA with 4 strikeouts in 2+2⁄3 innings pitched. Howard was released by the Yankees on August 30.[43]
San Francisco Giants (2023–present)
On September 23, 2023, Howard signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants organization.[44]
Pitcher profile
Howard has carried a four-pitch repertoire throughout his professional career. His pitching is rooted in a
There have been concerns about Howard's long-term health and ability to pitch deep into games. As a rookie in 2020, Howard lost 11 pounds (5.0 kg) between spring training and the start of the pandemic-abbreviated season, and his irregular practice in the spring and summer led to a loss of strength and stamina. His average fastball velocity dropped from 95 mph (153 km/h) in the first inning to 91.7 mph (147.6 km/h) in the fifth, with batters hitting more effectively against the slower pitches.[47] A recurring shoulder injury has also limited Howard's long-term effectiveness. The most he has ever pitched in a season has been 112 innings in 2018; shoulder problems limited his 2019 season to 92+1⁄3 innings, while a combination of injury and the COVID-19 pandemic shortened his 2020 season down to 24+1⁄3.[48] During the 2020–21 offseason, Howard pursued physical therapy to prevent a recurrence of the injury, while making changes to his pitching mechanics, particularly in his hips, that were aimed to limit the damage.[27]
References
- ^ "Spencer Howard Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Middlecamp, Scott (August 29, 2019). "How an unrecruited SLO County ballplayer became one of MLB's best pitching prospects". The Tribune. San Luis Obispo, CA. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b "Former Templeton Eagle Spencer Howard Made Major League Debut on Sunday". Atascadero News. August 10, 2020. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Gelb, Matt (August 8, 2020). "'You need to see this guy': The path that led the Phillies to Spencer Howard". The Athletic. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Lauber, Scott (August 7, 2020). "Yoga and meditation turned Spencer Howard from a college walk-on to the Phillies' next big thing". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b Gelb, Matt (August 13, 2019). "The education of Spencer Howard, from blank slate to top Phillies prospect". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Salisbury, Jim (April 11, 2019). "Meet Spencer Howard, the Phillies pitching prospect with wipeout stuff and top-of-the-rotation potential". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Phillies take Cal Poly pitcher Spencer Howard in 2nd round of MLB draft". NBC Sports Philadelphia. June 12, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Gibson, Travis (June 13, 2017). "Cal Poly's Spencer Howard goes to Phillies, Erich Uelmen the Cubs in MLB Draft". The Tribune. Archived from the original on October 13, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Phillies' Spencer Howard: Signs deal Wednesday". CBS Sports. June 21, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Woo, Katie (July 13, 2020). "The Road to The Show™: Spencer Howard". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Rupert, Mitch (August 2, 2017). "Pitching staff of 17 sets in for August stretch". Williamsport Sun-Gazette. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Terranova, Rob (June 30, 2018). "Claws' Howard hurls another scoreless gem". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Salisbury, Jim (December 12, 2018). "Another coveted pitching prospect in Phillies' system: Spencer Howard". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Lara-Cinisomo, Vincent (September 7, 2018). "Howard makes history in 'Claws' clincher". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Terranova, Rob (November 1, 2018). "MiLBY says yes to Howard's playoff no-no". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Avallone, Michael (April 23, 2019). "Threshers' Howard no stranger to the K". MiLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Phillies' Spencer Howard: Returns from shoulder surgery". CBS Sports. July 9, 2019. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b "Spencer Howard Amateur, College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Lauber, Scott (August 28, 2019). "Spencer Howard, Alec Bohm are among six prospects selected to represent Phillies in Arizona Fall League". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Mayo, Jonathan (September 21, 2019). "Howard has all pitches working in AFL debut". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ West, Jenna (June 30, 2020). "Minor League Baseball's 2020 Season Canceled". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Lauber, Scott (August 3, 2020). "Phillies–Yankees postponed Tuesday; doubleheader Wednesday could precipitate top prospect Spencer Howard's debut". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (August 9, 2020). "Howard shows glimpses of potential in debut". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (September 1, 2020). "Howard leads Phillies past Nats for 1st 'W'". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on September 1, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Evans, Bill (September 20, 2020). "Phillies finalize 40-man Postseason Player Pool with playoffs a week away". NJ.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c Salisbury, Jim (February 24, 2021). "Spencer Howard 'flushes' 2020, hopes to flourish in 2021". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Moore, Tom (May 20, 2021). "Spencer Howard: Why it's time for Phillies to call up prospect in place of starter Chase Anderson". Bucks County Courier Times. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Breen, Matt (May 21, 2021). "Spencer Howard to start for Phillies on Saturday; Chase Anderson sent to bullpen". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Breen, Matt (June 5, 2021). "Spencer Howard fades again but Phillies rally behind Ranger Suárez, Andrew McCutchen for 5–2 win over Nationals". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Lauber, Scott (June 29, 2021). "Phillies send Spencer Howard back to triple A". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 30, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
- ^ Lauber, Scott (July 30, 2021). "Phillies' Spencer Howard showed an improved slider, better command in spot start vs. Yankees. Is it a sign of things to come?". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- ^ Weaver, Levi (August 20, 2021). "A touching tribute, returning players, and 'polishing a turd': Weaver Wire". The Athletic. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ Breen, Matt (July 30, 2021). "Phillies send Spencer Howard to Texas for pitchers Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy in big trade deadline deal". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- ^ Hoyt, Joseph (August 5, 2021). "Spencer Howard's Rangers debut shows process for his development will take time, patience to succeed". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ Grant, Evan (October 1, 2021). "After another disastrous outing, Rangers bet they'll see a different Spencer Howard come spring". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Spencer Howard Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Rangers' Spencer Howard: Named fifth starter". CBS Sports. RotoWire. April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ Landry, Kennedi (April 14, 2022). "Rangers shuffle staff with Howard to IL, Richards back in mix". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ "Rangers' Spencer Howard: Moved to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ "Rangers' Spencer Howard: Brought back from IL". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ https://www.mlb.com/press-release/yankees-acquire-rhp-spencer-howard
- ^ "Yankees Release Spencer Howard". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "SF Giants add former top Phillies pitching prospect to a minor league dea". aroundthefoghorn.com. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ Lauber, Scott (October 25, 2019). "Phillies pitching prospect Spencer Howard is critical to new manager Joe Girardi's chances of success". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Spencer Howard". Baseball Savant. MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Gelb, Matt (January 12, 2021). "Spencer Howard, after difficult rookie year with Phillies, is upbeat about 2021". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (February 24, 2021). "Phils expect a healthy Howard going forward". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet