Former Padres Pitcher Stays With NL West Rivals Rather Than Test Free Agency

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 23, 2024

Tim Vizer-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell accepted his assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City rather than test free agency.

The right-hander was removed from the NL West rival's 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City after clearing waivers.

After a nice run in the Dodgers bullpen and subsequently clearing waivers following his DFA, Brent Honeywell accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A in lieu of free agency. Arrived in OKC today and will likely be active tomorrow.

— Alex Freedman (@azfreedman) August 21, 2024

The Dodgers claimed Honeywell off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates in July and he went on to appear in 10 games this summer. He recorded a 2.28 earned run average over 23.2 innings.

The former Padres reliever's first game, naturally, came against the Padres' Triple-A affiliate.

On Thursday, Honeywell pitched two scoreless innings against the El Paso Chihuahuas, striking out one batter, walking another, and allowing one hit.

The Dodgers are getting major bullpen reinforcements back from injuries this month — namely Ryan Brasier and Blake Treinen — and there was simply no room for Honeywell despite his above-average work on the mound. The Padres trail the Dodgers by 4.5 games in the National League West.

“Honeywell has been great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s very confident. I love the strike-throwing aspect. It’s a funky changeup-screwball. I think we’re getting him at the right time — you know, a guy who’s been kicked in the teeth and kind of on the outs and then he has a new start. 

"As a 29-year-old player with not a lot of [major league] service, I think he’s just scratching the surface.”

The screwball Roberts referred to is a pitch that Honeywell learned from his father, Brent Sr. who was taught by former Dodgers legend Mike Marshall.

“Mike Marshall taught my dad the pitch, and then my dad taught me the pitch when I was in high school,” Honeywell said. “I’ve been throwing it my whole career.”

Marshall and Brent Sr. were cousins and eventually united at Saint Leo University, a Division II school in the Tampa Bay area, from 1984 to 1988. Brent Honeywell Sr. pitched for Saint Leo from 1985-88.

Honeywell parlayed his signature pitch into a brief (36-game) stint with the Padres in 2023. He went 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA in those games.

“I think any pitches are taxing, so that’s a full-blown myth,” Honeywell, 29, said. “It’s easy to say because no one else throws it, but it’s just like driving a car that’s faster than others. As soon as something goes wrong with it, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s too fast,’ and no one knows how to fix it.”