Dodgers News: J.P. Howell Signs with Blue Jays
The Dodgers need another arm in the bullpen, but they didn’t value J.P. Howell enough to bring him back.
After four seasons in Los Angeles, the 34-year-old Howell will sign with Toronto as a free agent.
The Jays have a one-year agreement with left-handed reliever J.P. Howell, pending a physical.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 31, 2017
Source: Howell deal with #BlueJays is indeed one year, $3M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 31, 2017
Howell dropped off in 2016, but his overall body of work in L.A. was impressive. He gathered a 2.49 ERA across 205.2 innings. Howell was especially effective versus lefties, holding them to a .210 average, though he tailed off significantly last season. Howell was one of the few Dodgers to avoid the disabled list last season. He didn’t hit the DL once in his Dodgers tenure.
[graphiq id=”4sr4eHwt8Al” title=”J.P. Howell Career ERA, WHIP and K/BB” width=”600″ height=”586″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/4sr4eHwt8Al” ]
Howell replaces Brett Cecil as a lefty in the Jays’ bullpen. He previously pitched in the American League with the Kansas City Royals (2005) and the Tampa Bay Rays (2006-2012).
[button color=”red” size=”big” alignment=”center” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://dodgersnation.com/the-progression-of-young-joc_bk0585/2017/01/31/”]Brandon Knudsen wrote about Joc Pederson’s development[/button]