Phillies: Low Cost Relief Pitching Options in Free Agency
By Joe Piazza
J.P. Howell, Los Angeles Dodgers
Sticking with the theme of “lefties that can help the Phillies,” let’s take a look at J.P. Howell. While he’s no workhorse, Howell has been one of the most effective lefties in the game since 2013. Before this year’s hiccup, which saw his ERA rise to 4.09, Howell was on an absolute tear in Los Angeles. In fact, he recorded an earned run mark of 1.43 in 2015.
I suspect Howell’s struggles can be tied to the effectiveness of his Knuckle-Curve. His velocity of that pitch has gone down, but he’s throwing it way more frequently. Not only did he throw 62% more Knuckle-Curves in 2016 than the year prior, but opposing hitters managed to hit .271 against it, compared to .211 in 2015.
If he throws less of that Knuckle Curve, or at least chooses better times to throw it, Howell could once again be an effective left-handed reliever. If that happens, he’ll almost surely be a blue-chip at the trade deadline.
Estimated Offer – 1 year/$7 million (with 2018 club option)