The Philadelphia Phillies went into the All-Star break with a record of 29-62, making them the worst team in the MLB. But their fortunes have turned around in the second half going 13-4 after a bad first half. There are many reasons why they have started to play better. Timely hitting, solid pitching performances, and great defense are just some of the reasons. First baseman Ryan Howard is also apart of why they the Phillies have played better.
Since the All-Star break, Howard has a slash line of .283/.358/.500, which is better than how he was playing before the break. In the first half of the season, he had a slash line of .226/.270/.444. I understand that the pre All-Star break is a larger sample size but something has to be said for his solid play in the second half.
The beginning of the season was not good for Howard or the Phillies. In the months of April and March, Howard batted .194 to go along with four home runs, 10 RBI and 20 strikeouts. He only had four walks and 14 hits during those two months, which isn’t conducive to him being a productive player.
His play improved in May as he batted .280 with six home runs, 15 RBI, and 28 hits. His hits doubled but his strikeouts went up to 32 and he only walked four times. But with his play improving, many thought this could make Ryan Howard a trade candidate. John Stolnis of The Good Phight looked at how Howard would be a perfect fit with the Cardinals after first baseman Matt Adams went down with an injury.
I also thought that Howard being traded to the Cardinals was a good match but the question was would St. Louis take on some of Howard’s large contract. Stolnis made a good point when he mentioned that the Phillies would have to pick up approximately $50 million left on Howard’s deal. The trade never happened and Howard’s play dropped in June.
Despite Howard’s up and down play earlier in the season, 2015 has been a resurgence for him. Currently, he has 18 home runs and 60 RBI with a slash line of .235/.286/.454. On the other side of that equation, he has 106 strikeouts and only 21 walks. But you will take what you can get from him at this point of his career.
In comparison to last season, Howard only had 23 home runs and 95 RBI with a slash line of .223/.310/.380. He also had 190 strikeouts and 67 walks. With those numbers in mind, Howard could finish this season with 25 home runs and possibly 100 RBI, especially the way he is hitting and seeing the ball. Remember, he has gotten stronger since coming off a few seasons where he was still fighting the injury bug.
Finally, with his improving play this season, what does the future hold for Howard? It is a possibility that he could be dealt this month going through revocable waivers. But that process is all too difficult to explain so Charlie Wilmoth of MLBTradeRumors explains it here.
There is a better chance of Howard being moved over the winter as he would only have $48 million left on his contract going into 2016, with an option in 2017 that includes a $10 million buyout. If he does get moved expect it to be to a team in the American League, where he can be used as a designated hitter. You can maximize his offense while not having him out on the field.
But there is always a chance that the Phils don’t trade Howard because there is no heir apparent currently at first base and you still need some veterans to help this rebuilding process. An infield of Howard-Hernandez-Galvis-Franco has been pretty solid this season. There should be no rush to dismantle it, if it’s not the best move for the franchise.
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