Chris Archer to the IL
Brent Honeywell Jr takes his place and finally gets his MLB debut today
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Changeup: 60 | Screwball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2021/03/22/three-years-later-the-legend-of-brent-honeywell-begins-anew/
Honeywell is expected to "open" Sunday's game, setting the table for scheduled starter Michael Wacha to take over in the second or third. It will be Honeywell's MLB debut.
Honeywell, 26 as of early March, has not pitched in a professional contest since 2017. During his absence, he's required four separate elbow operations, including Tommy John surgery and a procedure to decompress his right ulnar nerve. Honeywell also fractured his arm at one point, resulting in another setback.
Prior to those surgeries, Honeywell had been considered one of the league's top pitching prospects. Indeed, he made five consecutive Baseball America top-100 prospect lists, and he peaked at No. 11 on Baseball Prospectus' annual list. It's to be seen if Honeywell's body allows him to ever live up to that promise. MLB.com's Adam Berry reported during that spring that Honeywell's fastball had touched 95 mph and that his changeup "looked like the legitimate weapon it was before."