Major League Baseball

Rosenthal: Howard and Burnett among Phillies on revocable waivers

Published Aug. 4, 2014 11:26 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

Ryan Howard was one of five Phillies placed on revocable trade waivers last weekend, a source told FOX Sports 1 MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal. The question is, will there be any takers for the two years remaining on the first baseman's bloated contract?

Howard and Philadelphia pitchers A.J. Burnett, Antonio Bastardo, Kyle Kendrick and Roberto Hernandez can be claimed by any team on waivers. Those who clear waivers can be traded, and those who are claimed can be pulled back or traded/awarded to the claiming team.

Howard signed a five-year, $125 million deal in 2010 and is due $25 million in 2015 and 2016, so it's unlikely that teams would want to commit that type of money toward a player who has been struggling (.215-16-63) this season. Howard has a player option for 2017 that can be bought out for $10 million.

Though Howard has been healthy throughout 2014, he tore an Achilles' tendon during the 2011 playoffs that forced him to miss half of 2012, and knee surgery caused him to miss half of 2013.

There could be interest in Burnett, the most proven pitching quantity among the four players. However, Burnett is 6-11 with a 4.16 ERA after going 10-11 with a 3.30 ERA the year before with the Pirates and has a contract option that reportedly could pay more than $10 million in 2015, depending on his 2014 performance.

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