Former Phillies Top Prospect Dominant for Rangers in Return

Former Philadelphia Phillies top prospect Spencer Howard made his return from a lat injury on Tuesday night for the Texas Rangers' Triple-A affiliate. 

Howard came on in relief for the Round Rock Express and pitched 2.0 innings of shutout baseball while striking out four. He didn't allow a hit. 

The righty has not yet lived up to his billing, whether with the Phillies or the Rangers. However, on Tuesday night his fastball touched 96.6-mph, according to local reports. 

With his injury seemingly behind him, Howard will now fight for a role in the bullpen as Texas already has their rotation solidified. 

However, the Rangers have been dealing with a shaky bullpen all season despite sitting first in the American League West. Howard could potentially provide some reinforcement if he continues to put together outings like the one on Tuesday.

Philadelphia sent Howard to Texas during the 2021 MLB trade deadline that saw Kyle Gibson, Ian Kennedy and Hans Crouse come back in return. 

Only Crouse remains in the Phillies organization. Crouse was limited to just five starts last season due to an elbow injury but has thrown 19.2 innings this season for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, accumulating a 6.86 ERA.