The Guardians have acquired right-hander Spencer Howard from the Giants, per Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle on X. The Giants, who designated the righty for assignment recently, will receive cash considerations in return. The Guardians announced that they have designated righty Wes Parsons for assignment to open up a 40-man spot.
Howard, 27, was with the Giants on a minor league deal at the start of this year and opened the season with ten Triple-A starts. He had a 5.90 earned run average in that time, though he probably deserved better than that. His 32.2% strikeout rate was quite strong and his 9.6% walk rate only slightly on the high side. But he had a .406 batting average on balls in play and 66.1% strand rate in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, so his 4.12 FIP was almost two runs better than his ERA.
The Giants added him to their roster at the end of May and he spent just over a month with the club in a swing role. He tossed 24 innings over seven outings, two of those being starts, with a 5.63 ERA. It’s possible that luck played a role again, as his .388 BABIP in that time was well above average, but his strikeout rate also plummeted to 18.4% in the majors. His most recent outing was especially tough, as he allowed six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. Since he’s out of options, he was bumped off the 40-man.
The Guardians are perhaps intrigued by those Triple-A strikeout numbers that Howard had earlier this year, or perhaps his past status as a notable prospect. A second-round pick of the Phillies in 2017, he was considered one of the top prospects in the league, with Baseball America giving him the #27 overall spot in 2020 and 2021. He went to the Rangers in the 2021 deadline deal that sent Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy the other way.
Unfortunately, Howard has never been able to find much success in the big leagues. Between his time with the Phillies, Rangers and Giants, he has 139 innings in the majors with a 6.93 ERA, 19.9% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate. His work in the minors hasn’t been much better in recent years, as he’s tossed 143 1/3 innings on the farm since the start of 2021 with a 4.83 ERA, though that minor league work has come with a 31.7% strikeout rate.
Since Howard is out of options, the Guards will be hoping that he can quickly start getting punchouts at the big league level, likely in a long relief role. The rotation has lost Shane Bieber to Tommy John surgery and they recently optioned a struggling Triston McKenzie, but they have a starting five of Tanner Bibee, Ben Lively, Gavin Williams, Logan Allen and Carlos Carrasco.
If the Guards can figure out how to get Howard on track, there could be long-term benefits. He’s out of options but can be retained via arbitration for three seasons beyond this one if he holds onto his roster spot for the rest of the year.
Parsons, 31, started the year with the Blue Jays but was designated for assignment in early April and flipped to the Guardians for international bonus pool space. He has spent most of the year in a swing role in Triple-A, with 25 2/3 innings over 12 outings, five of those being starts. He had a 4.21 ERA in that time but may have been lucky to have it that low. He struck out 29.3% of batters faced but also gave out walks at a huge 17.1% clip. Were it not for an 84.6% strand rate, he would have fared much worse, which is why he had a 6.06 FIP for Columbus.
The Guards will now have a week to trade Parsons or pass him through waivers. The recent numbers aren’t too exciting but he is in his final option year and could perhaps appeal to club bit by the injury bug that wants a bit more starting depth in the minors.
Human trafficking – the Guards just bought Howard.
Nah, Spencer for hire.
Looking at this dudes career, literally how is he still in the league? What can they possibly see in him?
Was a serious prospect when he first came up. It’s amazing how much longevity that buys you. Teams thinking “well someone thought he was good once.”
Yes it does. I’m usually one of the posters urging patience with prospects but at nearly 28 years of age and 4 seasons of more than just forgettable production, I’m right there with you calling time of death.
Once you get past your mid 20s, you go from prospect to suspect in a lot of teams’ eyes.
You guys are right.
Look at that Ben Lively guy. Went overseas for a few years. Came back and pitched for the Reds last year at age 31.
Stunk it up.
Guards signed him and are letting him pitch at 32. Suckers. It’s not like there are pitching / batting / fielding coaches and systems. MLB is just like fantasy league. Pick up a player and throw him out there. He does what he does.
The big league experience buys them a lot of AAA longevity. If the Guardians have a sudden rash of injuries they can bring him up for a spot start or two, buying them time to make a trade. Also avoids starting the clock on service time for more serious prospects.
Coaches and scouts for teams often see something they think they can fix in a player. Be it a hitch in a swing, something with pitching mechanics, or various other things.
How easily a player can make said adjustments is another thing. To some adjustments come easy whereas others their mechanics are such a part of muscle memory that making attempting to make adjustments just compounds problems.
Hopefully CLE can help Howard revive his career. I always want to root for these guys, they ve gotten this far hard to not wish they find success.
Tigers3232;
MLB teams spend millions of dollars a year on video equipment, analysts, and multiple types of coaches to go over not just their players, but players on other teams that they might be interested in acquiring if the player becomes available. They don’t just do in-depth analysis of candidate players and see if they can fix them, but they also see if the player can fit into their systems.
Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Tampa Bay all are very good developing catchers and pitchers. But they have 3 different styles of both teaching those positions as well as how they use their catchers and pitchers in games.
Same thing with hitters. Am watching a Twins game. They teach power swings for longball. Cleveland wants contract hitters. Tampa Bay want the top 4 hitters in their line-ups to be the major source of runs. The other 5 players move around to different defensive positions in the batting order at the start of each game – depending on the opposition that day. Additionally TB will change those 5 payers quite a bit during the game depending on what the opposition pitcher is doing…..the other 2 teams not so much.
I’m well aware they scout players on others teams and have multiple types of coaches. That’s whyy I was commenting to someone else that they often see things they believe they improve or see or somehow they can get more out of a player.
He’s a little better than the scrap heap pickups they’ve made so far, but he hasn’t pitched in the majors since ‘21. 1-2, 5.90 ERA, 57 K, 39 IP at AAA this year. Spin the wheel and see what it lands on.
He’s literally pitched in the majors every year since then? Even had a good start against the cubs this year
“Spin the wheel and see what it lands on”
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Exactomungo!
Just like Rotisserie League.
If anybody can fix him, it’ll be the Indians…
Next year’s AL Cy Young winner.
I guess no one can fix him then, there is no team called the Indians.
Did the AAA Indianapolis Indians change their name, too?
Etex is right, the Tribe will fix him
I am convinced cash considerations means their choice of Johnny Cash records now that vinyl is back in.
I’d love to have Johnny Cash vinyl records in my collection.
My favorite player, Cash Considerations, finds a new home.
I like to consider cash.
What’s there to consider? The more, the better.
It’s just as good as money.
Dave Cash or Don Money?
Ok, you can stop with the bees and the beads nonsense. It isn’t going to be a thing.
This isn’t even dumpster diving. It’s more rumaging through an ugly illegal hillside dump site.
I will not consider that.
I might be overreacting a bit but I think teams have to be a bit more selective with who they are putting on their 40 man roster, especially contenders. You mean to tell me you don’t have an arm in your system you trust more than a guy who’s been shelled every season in the majors? Yes these are back of the roster deals, but after seeing my Pirates first hand bring in so many bad relievers who cost them multiple games, is finding one good one worth sifting through 3-4 bad ones??
Why would you needlessly roster a prospect to pitch at AAA?
holecamels35;
It’s really not that difficult…..
The smaller market contenders – Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Milwaukee are at a point in the season where they want to see what they can do about strengthening their rosters from their farm system for the stretch run. All those teams have been making little moves and call-ups the past week or so. Unlike the large market teams that can take on large salaries in trade, come the trade deadline those teams don’t have the luxury of taking on much more than one medium-sized contract. So they’ll use their 40 man roster in any way they can literally to work with player in the high-minors and give them a tryout at the ML level before the trade deadline.
If Cleveland feels there is nothing they can do with Howard in the next 3-4 weeks, they’ll cut him and try someone else.
Cash considerations ?
How much cash did the Giants have to give Cleveland for them to take him off their
hands ?
I’m told a pass to the Rick Hall was
involved
Not enough! And I wouldn’t be surprised if the Indians PAID SF to get rid of him.
The Spencer move and the Matt Boyd pickup are typical Indians moments. (I’ll never call them the Guardians). And they put him on the mound his first day with the team? Their hitting has gone soft now they decimate the pitching?
Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Howard, Dr. Howard. (Love that old three stooges episode)