J.P. Howell is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on April 25, 1983, in Modesto, California, and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he played college baseball for the Longhorns.
Howell was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the 2004 MLB draft and made his major league debut with the team in 2005. He spent three seasons with the Royals before being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008.
With the Rays, Howell became a key member of the bullpen and helped the team reach the World Series in 2008. He had a breakout season in 2009, posting a 2.84 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched. He was named the Rays' Pitcher of the Year and finished seventh in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
Howell continued to be a reliable reliever for the Rays over the next few seasons, but his performance began to decline in 2012 and 2013. He became a free agent after the 2013 season and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With the Dodgers, Howell regained his form and had a strong season in 2014, posting a 2.39 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 50.1 innings pitched. He continued to pitch well for the Dodgers over the next few seasons, but his role became more limited as he aged.
Howell became a free agent again after the 2016 season and signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. He struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness in 2017, however, and was released by the team in August.
Overall, Howell had a solid career as a left-handed reliever in the major leagues. He finished with a career record of 35-29, a 3.97 ERA, and 529 strikeouts in 571 innings pitched. He was known for his deceptive delivery and ability to get left-handed batters out, and he was a valuable member of several successful teams during his career.
⚾