:Jay Howell

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1955)}}

{{about||the American illustrator and cartoonist|Jay Howell (illustrator)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Jay Howell

|image=Jay Howell 1986.JPG

|caption=Howell in 1986

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1955|11|26}}

|birth_place=Miami, Florida, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 10

|debutyear=1980

|debutteam=Cincinnati Reds

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=August 8

|finalyear=1994

|finalteam=Texas Rangers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=58–53

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.34

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=666

|stat4label=Saves

|stat4value=155

|teams =

• Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1980}})
• Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1981}})
• New York Yankees ({{mlby|1982}}–{{mlby|1984}})
• Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|1985}}–{{mlby|1987}})
• Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1988}}–{{mlby|1992}})
• Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|1993}})
• Texas Rangers ({{mlby|1994}})

|highlights =

• 3× All-Star (1985, 1987, 1989)
• World Series champion ({{wsy|1988}})

}}

Jay Canfield Howell (born November 26, 1955) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds (1980), Chicago Cubs (1981), New York Yankees (1982–1984), Oakland Athletics (1985–1987), Los Angeles Dodgers (1988–1992), Atlanta Braves (1993) and Texas Rangers (1994). He was selected in the 31st Round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft. He was the last player selected and signed in that draft to play in the Major Leagues.

Howell was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the 1988 World Series. In the third game of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, Howell was ejected for having pine tar, an illegal substance, in his glove, though he said the only reason he used it was to get a better grip on the ball. He was suspended for three days,{{cite news|last1=Blum|first1=Ronald|title=Howell Suspended for 3 Days|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19881010&id=9jRSAAAAIBAJ&pg=4599,2349536|access-date=November 20, 2014|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Victoria Advocate|date=October 10, 1988|location=Victoria, Texas|page=3B}} but it was shortened to two days.

He was named to two American League All-Star Teams in 1985 and 1987 and the 1989 National League All-Star Team.

He currently ranks 79th on the Major League Baseball Career Saves List (155){{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SV_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Saves|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} and 83rd on the Career Games Finished List (360).{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/GF_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Games Finished|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}