Breaking: Philadelphia Phillies Confirms The Departure Of Star Prospect

Once viewed as a future cornerstone of the Philadelphia Phillies’ starting rotation, right-handed pitcher Spencer Howard has since become a journeyman in Major League Baseball. Howard, who recently signed a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants, threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, marking his return to the Giants after opting for free agency instead of accepting an assignment to Triple-A Columbus in late July.

Howard’s journey has been tumultuous. After being designated for assignment by the Cleveland Guardians on July 21, the 28-year-old pitcher now seeks to work his way back to the Major Leagues. Originally drafted by the Phillies in the second round out of Cal Poly, Howard made a splash early in his career by throwing the first no-hitter in Class-A Lakewood BlueClaws history. He was called up to the Phillies in 2020, where he struggled with a 5.92 ERA. After an underwhelming 2021 season, Howard was traded to the Texas Rangers as part of a deal that brought starter Kyle Gibson to Philadelphia.

In Texas, Howard’s struggles continued, posting a 7.41 ERA as a spot starter in 2022. After starting the 2023 season injured, Howard was traded to the New York Yankees, where he lasted only a month in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before being released. The Giants picked him up in late September and assigned him to the minors, where he worked his way into a relief role this season. After being called up on May 28, Howard posted a 3.80 ERA in six appearances for San Francisco, showing flashes of his potential.

Despite this, Howard’s stint with the Giants was short-lived. He was designated for assignment on June 30 and subsequently traded to Cleveland, where he struggled with a 9.00 ERA in five innings. Now back with the Giants organization, Howard is aiming to rebuild his career and make another push for the Major Leagues.