The Padres announced Wednesday that they’ve designated righty Brent Honeywell Jr. for assignment, optioned catcher Brett Sullivan to Triple-A El Paso and placed lefty Tim Hill on the 15-day injured list with a sprained finger on his pitching hand. That sequence of moves will create the necessary roster space to add trade acquisitions Garrett Cooper, Scott Barlow and Ji Man Choi to the roster.
Honeywell, 28, spent five years ranked among baseball’s top 100 prospects at Baseball America but was repeatedly set back by injuries. He’s had a stunning four elbow surgeries dating back to 2018, completely derailing what looked to be a potential fast-track to MLB stardom. The 2014 second-rounder was in the upper minors by 22 years of age, tossing 136 2/3 innings of 3.49 ERA ball with a 30.3% strikeout rate and 6.2% walk rate between Double-A and Triple-A in 2017. He didn’t throw another pitch in an official game until the 2021 season in Triple-A.
Eventually traded to the A’s and outrighted off the 40-man roster, Honeywell became a free agent last offseason and signed a big league deal with the Padres. He’s pitched in 36 games out of the bullpen for San Diego this year, working to a 4.05 ERA with a 20.6% strikeout rate, 9.8% walk rate, 48.9% ground-ball rate and 1.54 HR/9. The 46 2/3 innings he’s pitched this year are more than he threw in 2021-22 combined.
Honeywell is averaging 95 mph on his heater but also has a below-average 10% swinging-strike rate and 28% opponents’ chase rate. He’s out of minor league options, so the Padres weren’t able to simply send him to the minors.
Now that the trade deadline has passed, Honeywell’s fate is rather straightforward. He’ll head for outright waivers, where all 29 other clubs will have the opportunity to place a claim. Waiver priority is based on a simple reverse standings — worst record to best — and contrary to common belief is not league-specific. If he’s placed directly onto waivers today, the A’s would have the first chance to claim him, followed by the Royals. He can be controlled via arbitration for another five seasons.
Isn’t this the poor kid who was drafted super high and was rated as a high prospect but kept suffering injury after injury and setback after setback? Glad he had gotten a chance hopefully he can get another shot somewhere!
He will be claimed.
Did you read the article? It explains his background which you rewrote. Was this a first comment thing?
Add a guy with a 5.35 ERA that has slumped to a 9.00 ERA in July. DFA a guy with a 4.05 ERA. Trying to figure out how this makes sense.
You won’t be able to, unfortunately. It’s a head scratcher.
Not that it really matters, but that 4.05 ERA is also somewhat Melvin’s fault. They got greedy after getting 2 scoreless from him last night, but he should have never gone back out there for a 3rd inning.
The two runners that he let on Wilson let come in on a HR and that bumped his ERA up from like ~3,60 to over 4. Shouldn’t have even been in that spot.
Still don’t know why Honeywell was left in so long in the 2nd DH game versus the Phillies.
Melvin tries too hard not to use his top RPs, stretching guys out. He brought in Hill last night and nearly coughed up the game. Speaking of Tim Hill, why is he still on the team after all the transactions yesterday? They did put him on 15 day IL so maybe that’s an indication of a change coming.
The Padres only have 2 maybe 3 relievers they can trust.
Their bullpen looks awesome when it can go Wilson 7th, Suarez 8th and Hader 9th. Any alteration from that is pretty much a disaster every time.
not sure if trust is there but Cosgrove has been good (1.76 ERA). And maybe Barlow will come around, he looked good this afternoon in CO
the guy with the 5.35 ERA also costs about 5 times more on the payroll. Feels like making moves just to say you did it.
Barlow was dominant in ’21 and ’22. Perhaps Ruben can work some magic.
Seems like a reasonable way of looking at it if it was the offseason. They don’t really have the time or luxury of risking a guy coming in and blowing games this August & September.
Myself I thought Brad Hand would’ve been a nice fit. There is nothing wrong with Tim Hill except that he is cooked from being the only left handed option in that bullpen for the better part of three seasons, so Hand sort of fits the role of middle relief lefty.
Not too hard to figure out really. Honeywell has a hard time getting batters to miss. The metrics suggest that Honeywell is over performing. Meanwhile, Barlow is having a fire year but the two preceding he was a very good reliever. The Padres clear thing that is who he is as opposed to the last few weeks and I’m inclined to agree. When we got Hader his ERA was 4.24 and ballooned to 5.22. It was an anomaly. Barlow could be the same.
They’re keeping Luis Garcia on the roster?????
And Matt Carpenter. LOL How much more of those two do you need to see with less than 60 games left? Get rid of them
“99. Probably afraid dumpster diving Cashman will scoop up Carpenter again who will all of a sudden become Babe Ruth again.
And the Pads pay his salary too boot for whoever gets him. Since they arent giving up on playoffs the thinking is who else do they have that might give them a big hit in a big game? With a 26th man and a 13 man Pitcher limit the 13th regulars especially with the DH means that 13th man doesnt need to contribute much. Just 2 years ago teams were going with 11 regulars
D’Backs need a pitcher any pitcher, hoping they pick Honeywell up.
His former team the Rays, should get him.
Hope the D’Backs can pick him up, he’s young and don’t make that much money.
Let’s go White Sox. Nothing to lose.
If they don’t take a flyer on him, it will literally make zero sense. He would easily be their 2nd or 3rd best pitcher on the roster
Right?! A former 2nd round pick and just 28. 2 months to try and see if you can fix it and resign him next year or not. Surely it can’t hurt.
Exactly what I was thinking. If it means I never have to see Tanner Banks be bad at baseball ever again, I’m all for it.
Could had used Honeywell tonight. Couldn’t had been worse than Cease was.
Just happened today.
Haha! Called it!
Those uniforms should be designated for assignment.
Matt Carpenter DFA coming soon I’d assume though.
Matt is a 5.5 mil player option. He isn’t happy not playing. He is #26 on the bench and not going to be used. Rosters expand in 29 days.
How about just keep him for rest of the season with no AB’s and then see if he uses that player option?
He’d be crazy not to exercise the option. If Padres do release him (which they should), the Padres would be paying a combined almost 20 M for washed up 1B no longer on the team.
You know, I like money and if it were me I’d agree with you.
However, we are talking about a end of career 37 year old former “good player” who if he had a chance to play somewhere, would probably take that chance as opposed to sitting at home or at end of bench waiting to be dfa’d in 2024.
There is only 1 mlb and very limited opportunities to actually get on the field for a guy in his situation and he doesn’t need the money – he needs a place to play.
Consider Nelson Cruz taking a $1 million contract from Padres – just want to play 1 more year man don’t worry about the money. Try to get me 500 HR’s. Paraphrasing but the example to make a point.
True, it’s possible, but many more just take the money.
Wouldn’t deny that at all. That said, what is the risk to Padres to hold him for 28 days until rosters expand and they can add a player; then hold him until end of season hoping he won’t exercise it or maybe there is a negotiation for 2.75 million to not exercise since there doesn’t appear to be a buyout clause.
Carp may exercise and call the bluff but there doesn’t seem to be any harm in giving it a shot.
Batten (who I like) gets sent down for Cooper but can be recalled on 9/1 so not that big of a deal.
A little roster manipulation hoping to save a few mil next year. If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work – no real harm.
I say that with the belief that between now and 9/1 the odds of needing the 26th man off the bench are so slim anyway.
Look at the last few games. Neither Carp nor Sullivan got an AB.
A lot of younger / made less money guys take the money without question – no doubt. carp may as well.
I like that strategy, hope AJ has the same plan as you’ve suggested
Like Hosmer… Preller doesn’t learn from history and often repeats it.
Like AJ is the only GM in MLB history that this comment would apply!
All teams have their albatross stories and their mistake stories. If you make trades and give out contracts you will have one or 2 bite you over the years. It’s part of the job description.
Super disappointing that they went this route instead of DFA’ing Garcia. Way more potential with Honeywell, plus future control, and he was also flat out performing better right now than Garcia is too.
Choosing Garcia over Honeywell is worse in both the short and long term. I really can’t wrap my head around this one.
It’s the Padres front office, noone understands it.
Too bad. Last surviving true screwballer that I’m aware of.
I guess Noah Song is in the same waivers situation.
Honeywell’s position on his baseball card should be listed as “IL”
Or UL listed because he’s also thermostat.
Lmao
CARDINALS….need pitching, this is pitching.
Oakland might be interested again. They picked him up last year but never got healthy.
The only good thing about losing is you do move up in line for waiver claims and draft order.
5 more years of control, seems like giving up on him a little early when you still have Garcia and Carpenter on the roster.
This has the making of a Bloom signing.
Should have been Luis Garcia or Matt Carpetener or Drew Carlton that got DFA. Not Honeywell.
Aj Preller sucks at his job and it shows. They moved this guy to throwing out of the pen every 6-10 days yet they expect Honeywell to be unreal. He’s a rookie. They’ve costed him all year. Someone will get him for sure.
Aj Preller doesnt make coaching staff decisions about players playing. Doubt it was preller that said pitch honeywell every 6-10 days. That sounds more like a Melvin/Niebla/pitching coaches decision.
Trust me I’m aware. Regardless prellers moves are terrible and you know it. This was honestly the best thing for him. He’s proven he still has it and will get picked up. He traded for a guy with a 6 to pay more money. Makes sense. Only to DFA a rookie who has actually been productive for less money. Who also is the only dude on the team that has thrown back to back multiple inning stints.
“Trust me”
Nah.
Joke
This has a Bloom type of move.
I was thinking the same thing. Honeywell looks like he has a decent upside.
Welcome to Saint Louis Brent.
Mets need a starter (or two).
Go get him cards if he’s still available
Too bad, I was rooting for him. The adventure continues. Probably heading to KC or OAK
An awful lot of love for a 28yo pitcher with 50 career IP…
That’s too bad, I liked Honeywell and seemed like he did his job pretty well. Usually he got punished when they left him out there too long. Imo I would rather have 5 more years of control with Honeywell than 2 more months of 5+ ERA Garcia.
I’m surprised they dropped him. He pitched two good innings yesterday.
Doubt he lasts until the White Sox’ turn, but after trading so many pitchers, they need somebody to eat a few innings.
Brent Honeywell. Brendan McKay. In another universe, could’ve been a different story
Is he still throwing that screwball
I’m surprised Matt Carpenter wasn’t cut instead. I was fully expecting that. What the heck?
Garcia and his 5.40 ERA is still a Padre. They traded for Barlow and his 5.35 ERA. Then DFA’d the guy with a 4.05 ERA. Can someone explain the logic.
Well, it defies logic on the surface… but you can tell the FO is banking on the old adage “it’s not what you’ve done so far but what we think you will do” for ROS. Sucks because I liked Honeywell and thought “others” deserve the pink slip.
Yep. Barlow looks good so far…lol. Honeywell is in uncharted territory as far as his seasonal workload is concerned. So you’re spot on in your assessment, Gwynning.
@Royals
Honeywell was getting hit hard (by the guys he didn’t walk). Early in the season he looked great and then he started getting shelled. He became a garbage time pitcher. Don’t get me wrong every team needs garbage time pitchers so that real pitchers don’t have to throw those innings, but we already have Garcia and he is garbage enough for a whole team.
Honeywell was still better than 9.00 ERA Barlow the last month.
Looked good yesterday. Let’s hope it continues
THis is a bloom signing waiting to happen for Boston.
This is a Bloom-type of signing for Boston.
Gas Can Garcia had trouble this afternoon with a 10 run lead. I thought he was going to be DFA’ed when Jackson Wolf was called up. I can’t believe Garcia is still on the roster and Honeywell is gone, makes zero sense. Gotta be something going on behind the scenes.
Garcia had trouble this afternoon with a 10 run lead. I thought he was going to be DFA’ed when Jackson Wolf was called up. I can’t believe Garcia is still on the roster and Honeywell is gone, makes zero sense.
I think Garcia’s strategy was to hit a few batters, walk a guy or two, in order to get to Profar because he knew Profar only had warning track power with based loaded. It worked!
I’d like to Bloom take a shot at him. He looks like he has more ceiling than some of our low-end guys.