The Guardians announced that right-hander Peter Strzelecki has been recalled from Triple-A Columbus. In a corresponding move, right-hander Spencer Howard has been designated for assignment. The club’s 40-man roster count drops to 39.
Howard opened the 2024 season in the Giants organization, making 10 starts at Triple-A and pitching another seven games (two starts) for the big league club. He gave up 33 hits, 11 walks, and 16 runs (15 earned) in 24 innings for San Francisco before he was designated for assignment at the end of June. The Guardians scooped him up soon after in exchange for cash considerations, and Howard made his first appearance for Cleveland on July 11, giving up four earned runs on seven hits and three walks in three innings of work. The right-hander pitched one more game for the club after the All-Star break, giving up another four runs (one earned) in two innings of relief.
Once a top prospect in the Phillies organization, Howard has struggled to hold down a job in the majors since his debut in 2020. The Phillies dealt him to the Rangers ahead of the trade deadline in 2021, and he spent parts of three seasons in Texas beset by inconsistency and IL stints. The Rangers traded him to the Yankees on deadline day in 2023, and he pitched for the Triple–A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders for a month before he was released. Howard signed on with the Giants toward the end of the 2023 season.
Since Howard, now 27, used up his final option year in 2023, the Guardians had to designate him for assignment to add a fresh arm to the active roster. The team now has a week to trade the righty or pass him through waivers.
More to come.