Former Philadelphia Phillies Top Prospect Re-Signed by San Francisco Giants

A pitcher once seen as the future of the Philadelphia Phillies is back with the team he started the season with after a minor league deal.

Jun 8, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Spencer Howard (56) throws out Texas Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras (not pictured) at first base during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

At one time, the Philadelphia Phillies saw right-handed pitcher Spencer Howard as one of the future pieces of their starting rotation. Now, the franchise watches from afar as he continues to bounce around Major League Baseball.

Howard threw a scoreless inning on Friday for Triple-A Sacramento after he signed a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants.

He started this season with the Giants and returns after he opted for free agency instead of accepting an assignment to Triple-A Columbus on July 28.

The Cleveland Guardians designated Howard for assignment on July 21. The 28-year-old will now attempt to get back to the Major Leagues.

It’s been more than three years since the Phillies traded him after they selected him in the second round out of Cal Poly and later threw the first no-hitter in Class-A Lakewood BlueClaws history.

Philadelphia called him up in 2020 and he went 1-2 with a 5.92 ERA. He made 11 starts with the Phillies in 2021, going 0-2 with a 5.72 ERA before he was traded to the Texas Rangers in a deal that netted them several players, including starter Kyle Gibson.

He was a spot starter for the Rangers in 2022 when he went 2-4 with a 7.41 ERA in 10 games (eight starts). In 2023, Howard began the season hurt and was ultimately traded by Texas in late July. The New York Yankees acquired Howard but he lasted a month at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before his release.

The Giants picked him up in late September and stashed him in the minors.

Howard didn’t make San Francisco’s Opening-Day roster but eventually earned a call-up and slid into a primary relief role this season after he was called up from Sacramento on May 28. He was 1-1 with a 3.80 ERA in six appearances and 21.1 innings. He struck out 21 and walked nine.

The San Luis Obispo, Calif., native joined the Giants at a time in which they were struggling with pitching injuries and he stepped into a starting role for Logan Webb in June when San Francisco was facing the Rangers.

Howard went 4.2 innings, 53 of which were strikes. He walked three, struck out two and left with a 3-1 lead. His last appearance with the Giants saw him throw 4.2 innings of scoreless relief against the Chicago Cubs.

San Francisco DFA’d him on June 30 and traded him to Cleveland on July 5. With the Guardians he went 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in five innings. He struck out six and walked three.