Wed 5/22/13 4:59 AM

J.P. Howell's first season in Los Angeles is off to a strong start, as the left-hander has a 2.89 ERA through 19 appearances for the Dodgers. Coming off a stellar 2012 campaign, having posted a 3.04 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 42/22 K/BB ratio in 55 appearances for the Rays, Howell inked a one-year, $2.85 million contract with the Dodgers. Howell is allowing a few more base runners this season (1.34 WHIP compared to 1.21 in 2012), but his strikeout rate is slightly up and, more importantly, he hasn't surrendered a home run yet.