Sam Howard has been one of the Pirates’ most effective pitchers so far in 2021. The Georgia native was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh in October of 2019 and appeared in 22 games last year. After making a good first impression, he has gotten off to a solid start in 2021. Although the Pirates have struggled of late, Howard’s success has flown under the radar.
So far this season, Howard has made 14 appearances and posted a 3.38 earned run average. The Pirates lefty has also struck out 15 batters and only allowed two home runs. The former third-round pick struggled in his last appearance but finished April with a 1.80 ERA.
Additionally, Howard has been hard to hit this season. Opponents are hitting just .139 against the Pirates reliever in his first 10.2 innings of work. In his 14 appearances, Howard has only given up a hit in three of them. Like last season, he has shown good control when his number is called.
Sam Howard, 95mph Fastball…and Pitching with 🔥 @njkanuch pic.twitter.com/QEVGjfzTji
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 11, 2021
While the season is still young, Howard’s success dates back to last year. In the southpaw’s first season with the Pirates, he posted a 3.86 ERA in 22 appearances. While Pittsburgh’s bullpen struggled, Howard was one of their most reliable arms. He also struck out 27 batters while walking nine. After struggling to a 6.63 ERA with Colorado the year before, he was a different pitcher. His success has partly due to his slider, which has been one of the best in baseball.
In the first month of the 2021 season, Howard’s slider had a 51.2 percent whiff rate. In 2021 his spin rate has increased heavily, giving him a dominant pitch to pair with his fastball. He is also throwing strikes more than fifty percent of the time and has not been afraid to challenge batters. In big situations, Howard has been one of the Pirates’ top options.
Can Howard keep it up?
As the Pirates continue their rebuild, Howard will be looking to prove that his start is no fluke. In 36 appearances for the Pirates over the past two years he holds a 3.69 ERA. The Cartersville, GA native also will not be a free agent until 2025. While he could be a valuable trade chip at the deadline he could also factor into the Pirates plans beyond 2021. Although Howard is the team’s only lefthander, he has thrived in that role.
For the remainder of the season, Pittsburgh’s focus will be on developing their young talent. The key for the 28-year-old will be to continue his aggressive approach and to improve his command. The Pirates reliever has shown that he can be successful at the major league level and has proven to be a valuable piece for Pittsburgh.
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