The Pirates are designating right-hander Brent Honeywell for assignment, reports Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team has not yet formally announced the move.
Honeywell, 29, was only selected to the 40-man roster this past Sunday. He’s since tossed 3 1/3 innings, allowing a run on three hits and two walks with one strikeout. The former No. 72 overall draft pick (Rays, 2014) and longtime top prospect signed a minor league deal with the Bucs in the offseason and has spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A Indianapolis, where he’s pitched 39 innings with a 4.85 ERA, 19.6% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate over the life of 31 relief appearances.
It’s the third season with some big league work for Honeywell, who once ranked as high as No. 14 on Baseball America’s top-100 prospect list but has been beset by a devastating slate of injuries. The right-hander has undergone an incredible four elbow surgeries since 2017. He’s undergone Tommy John surgery, an ulnar nerve decompression, a procedure to repair/stabilize a fracture in his elbow, and an arthroscopic procedure that the Rays said at the time was performed “to relieve mild discomfort.”
All four of those operations came before Honeywell even made his big league debut with Tampa Bay, which finally happened in 2021 — seven years after he was drafted. That Honeywell even continued his career to reach the majors is remarkable in and of itself — a testament to his grit and perseverance. He’s since tossed 60 innings at the big league level and recorded a 4.95 ERA, 18.5% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. He’s also pitched in parts of five Triple-A campaigns, totaling 277 innings with a 4.35 earned run average, 24% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate.
The Pirates will have a week to trade Honeywell, release him or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. He’s out of minor league options — unsurprisingly so, given his career arc — so any team that trades or Honeywell or claims him would have to plug him directly onto the big league roster.
Back to the Honeywell.
He was just a Brental.
No need to get Brent out of shape.
Nothing sweet about his performance.
So did the A’s. Honeywell was decent just unlucky to stay with an Oakland team constantly in a state of flux…
To be rehabbing in the minors for this long only to be designated, I feel for him. Can only hope that my AZ D-Backs pick him up.
The MORON removed skenes last night after 7 innings and 99 pitches, when he’s pitching a no hitter. MORON said skenes looked tired,skenes said he could’ve went longer.
Why didn’t the MORON at lest let him start the 8th inning. If he gave up a hit, then yank him. Just another in a long line of blunders by a blundering idiot.
Say MORAN one more time you MORAN!
MORON YOU MORON.NOT MORAN.MORON GOLFERNUT
Actually I think that was the smart move. Skenes is very early in his career. He’s possibly your best chance to chase a ring. There is absolutely no sense in throwing him hard this season and he absolutely should be on an innings restriction this year. They actually have more sense here than I gave them credit for. I figured they would throw him into the ground. Shelton is protecting him from himself. Any kid is going to want to chase rainbows like a no hitter. Glad to see somebody is looking out for the kid. It was a smart move even if the fans don’t see it.
Not to mention that by taking him out on Thursday a couple of innings early he now has a full 4 days rest and they named him to start the All Star Game. You should be happy about and so should he.
Ya and how often u get a chance to throw a no hitter u never know
he’s already thrown no hit ball against the Cubs for 6 innings.
Skenes has the stuff to eventually pitch a perfect game
Look at the innings being thrown by AAA starters. They are barely being trained to throw 5 innings, let alone 9. Lack of durability is a big reason for all the injuries. It doesn’t help the team if he gets injured.
You’re comparing apples to oranges Stymee. In the minors you have other things going on. Guys that need to pitch, Rehab assignments, Pitchers that need regular work and can’t sit for days before they pitch. If guys want to throw more they can just go to the pen to keep their pitch count up.They’re not comparable situations.
We’re old school, my friend, and go back to a time when starters routinely threw 7-9 innings every time out. Now with the advent of kids all throwing in the mid-90’s—and Skenes around—100, I get it. They have to be wary of arm health
From the looks of the dugout, both Shelton and Marin had long conversations with him after the 7 th. Sure didn’t look like he was pleading to go back out there
Shelton and his staff do a lot of strange things. Not sure this was one of them. The future of this team as it sits right now lies with Skenes, Keller and Jones and given Jones’s injury/tightness/whatever, maybe they have to be cautious
But with the amount of injuries that still take place, one has to question whether the pitch count limits are effective at all.
Yes tired yiu are right. But NY argument is that he should have let him at least start the 8th. Give up a hit then,yea,take him out. But there looks to be a little disagreement over this between skenes and MORON. I understand the caution. But it bring a no hitter the kid deserved a chance to finish.
In the older days,he would have pitched until he got in trouble.Why 1 hit.Maybe he wants a shutout or complete game.Both unusual in these times.
jn the older days pitchers didn’t throw 5-6 varieties either
I don’t recall Bob Gibson throwing a 95 mph slider or an 80 mph cutter
Back then it was fastball, change, curve and slider
Bob Veale only threw 2 pitches
Jesus man, we won the game. If we had lost then, by all means, blow another gasket. It worked out.
Skenes is on a limited pitch count considering he didn’t throw many innings last year
He’ll throw a no hitter at some point in his career just be patient
Yes he will. But not as a Pirate.
Why don’t you change your name to something more negative maz because the real Mazeroski had a positive impact when he played for the Bucs
Everyone knows that he will most likely be traded in his last year of arbitration, why not try and enjoy the moment with arguably the best pitcher in baseball
SMH
U can’t guarantee that such a clown comment plenty of elite pitchers never got one
did I guarantee anything kmk1986
Calling my comment “ a clown “ only reveals your immaturity
The Pirates won the game. That is the #1 goal for the Manager of every team. Other managers have pulled their starter early in no hit games as well. Bet you would be first in line screaming if Shelton left Skenes in and he lost not only his no no but also the game.
U pull him after the first hit not sure what you’re getting at. They pulled skenes and then they got 2 hits afterward and they almost did blow the game. What u have more confidence in the pirates bullpen over skenes ??
it’s spelled “ you “.
you know so much about pitching maybe you should be a coach
Is this the way people from Pittsburgh talk or is this pirate talk, yarrr. Either way this stream of consciousness is pretty cool
Only a MORON would say AT LEST instead of AT LEAST
Dude u sound like a moron with your comment
Back in August of 2010, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire pulled Kevin Slowey from his start against the Marlins after 7 no hit innings and 105 pitches. After years of therapy, my assimilation back into society has gone about as well as could be expected.
Kevin Slowey: you can’t steal first
Dont forget what happened to Strasburg when he came up. Every start a gem… Then came August and something wasnt right. A couple of starts later snap!
No need to push it. The bullpen can finish games.
Skenes finish delivery is way better than Strasburg and just one stupid example doesn’t make it law
Got to listen to Tony Lovullo on Pittsburgh radio this afternoon to give his thoughts on why he,picked,Skenes to start. The host, Chris Mueller, straight up asked Lovullo if he would have pulled Skenes. Lovullo said he would have. Mueller followed up asking what if it was a perfect game situation. Lovullo said would make no difference as you can’t let emotion dictate the decision. He said in either case, no no or perfect game he would have headed to the team medical room and talked with the team medical staff and get their recommendation on how long to leave him in the game based. Whatever limit, if any that the staff would give him, he would subtract 2 pitches from the total to further eliminate emotion and use that as his guide as to when to pull the pitcher. He said that Skenes’s talent level was such that you have have look at his future and the team’s success potential and not let emotion risk either. I will agree with Lovullo…..
You have a generational type pitcher and you’re upset because the manager pulled Skenes after 99 pitches? Something tells me you’re the type of person that would complain if the manager had left Skenes in to throw 120 pitches to try to complete the no-hitter and then got hurt. Skenes is a rookie who should be handled with kid gloves right now to protect that golden arm. I’d rather see him pitch for a decade rather than try for a no-hitter and then get hurt. Look no further than Strasburg when it comes to great pitchers getting run into the ground early in their career.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand welcome to Milwaukee you’re starting tomorrow!
I don’t find it in the article, but wasn’t this the kid who threw a screwball?
He still has a screwball in his repertoire, yes. Threw a couple of them in this brief stint with the Pirates, even.
He has stated he has 15 different pitches he can throw effectively. Screwball is likely one of them, along with others that haven’t even been named yet
one of the Pirates fans was talking up Honeywell on another thread, about how effective he was as the closer for Indy
He didn’t transition that to his stunt with the parent club
To be fair he only made two appearances and they were decent (one run in 3.1 innings). I would have got rid of Dennis Santana before Honeywell. Honeywell is the better pitcher. I understand Santana has a big arm, but he’s just not very good.
2 innings pitched against the Brewers with 4 ks and no runs the other night for Santana
I know. I mean it’s semantics and both will be off the team when the pitching staff gets healthy, but I’d rather have Honeywell for the next couple of weeks than Santana.
Just personal preference, but doesn’t move the needle either way. This move was probably to make room for Gonzales or Borucki, but the other one, Bednar, and Falter will be back in short order.
Are you still talking? Wait… he’s gone from the dumpster fire In Pittsburgh.. hmm. Seems to be doing it in Dodger Land
“One of the pirates fans” hahahaha I could never. I just know baseball and Pittsburgh is a joke. Crazy what happens when teams actually have a clue!
Who are you even talking to? Neither of your posts make sense in this thread.
Dumpster fire in Pittsburgh? What?
Yes, and before the surgeries it was stellar
He idolizes Fernando Valenzuela.
I hope the Astros claim him
Honeywell is Honeydew
Your moniker makes you a natural for Pirates articles/threads, Theo. Make sure you stop by this off-season, when no doubt, Pirates “signings” will make you invaluable here
this off season?
Come back at the deadline
Should we expect a move soon? Of the trade variety?
Hoyer is probably salivating over a guy who’s had 4 arm surgeries. We should be reading about the transaction any second now.
Maybe he will have more time with family business of building security systems, aerospace products, home products like safes, etc
In years past Honeywell would be a great Derek johnson reclamation project. But Justus Sheffield got in already. Then there’s Santillan, also without options. Evenso, Brent is prearb and has talent. No doubt someone will take a chance on him. I hope the Reds can sign him to a minor league contract. He still has possibilities. And the Reds are developing pitching.
Former can’t miss prospect …