Howard gave up two earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out three in a 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Mariners on Saturday. He did not factor into the decision.
Howard was somewhat effective in his third start since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on July 5. The 25-year-old right-hander managed to eat five innings while giving up only two earned runs on a home run to Carlos Santana. The five free passes are concerning, but the positives to take away are two consecutive outings of five innings and a career-high-tying 91 pitches Sunday. Howard's 7.70 FIP suggests that his bloated 6.97 ERA may not be due for improvement unless he can make a significant adjustment, but the right-hander has been better during his current stint in the majors (4.50 ERA, 14 IP) than he was during a three-game April stretch (12.15 ERA, 6.2 IP, 8.1 HR/9), which resulted in a demotion to the minors. Another silver lining is that he is slated to start in a favorable matchup against the Athletics his next time out after the All-Star break.