Tampa Bay Rays: Brent Honeywell finally feeling healthy

It has been four long years since Brent Honeywell has been on the mound for a game. The Tampa Bay Rays one time consensus top 100 prospect has battled a seemingly never ending succession of injuries and setbacks, his once promising career having been derailed.

But there is hope. Honeywell is in camp with the Rays and is back on the mound once again. In fact, he says that he feels better than he has in years and that his arm is finally healthy once again.

Brent Honeywell ready to do his part for Tampa Bay Rays

By the time the season begins, it will be more than three and a half years since Honeywell pitched in a game. He seemingly had nothing left to prove in the minors, posting a 3.49 ERA and a 1.237 WHiP in his 136.2 innings in 2017, striking out 172 batters with 35 walks. Even if Honeywell was to start 2018 in AAA to push back his arbitration clock, he was not expected to be there for long.

But those plans quickly changed. Honeywell required Tommy John surgery after tearing his UCL in spring training that year, costing him the 2018 season. He then needed surgery to repair a broken bone in 2019, which led to that year being lost. A surgery for nerve compression in May 2020 and a cleanup procedure in December led to yet another lost year.

Hopefully, those days are now behind Honeywell. After four surgeries on his arm, he feels better than he has in years. Yes, he still has a long way to go, as he is not yet truly letting loose, but he is getting closer and closer to game action.

Even if he is truly ready when the season begins, it makes sense that the Rays would stash Honeywell in the minors to begin the year. He was granted a fourth minor league option due to his ongoing injury woes, allowing Tampa Bay to manage his workload and get him ready to compete once again. There may not be a timetable in place just yet, but Honeywell and the Rays have to be cautiously optimistic at this point.

Brent Honeywell is finally healthy. His long awaited debut with the Tampa Bay Rays could be around the corner.