As expected, LHP J.P. Howell had season-ending left shoulder surgery Wednesday, but the Rays are optimistic he'll be ready to start the 2011 season.

Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman wouldn't confirm whether the procedure — performed by Dr. James Andrews in Alabama — was to repair a torn labrum but said it went as "well as it could" and expects the 27-year-old to "be the J.P. Howell of old" next year.

The Rays had targeted a late May or early June return for Howell, but Friedman acknowledged he knew it'd be a tough road back from the moment they put him on the disabled list in March with left shoulder weakness. Howell cut a simulated game short Monday when feeling discomfort after 12 pitches.

"When we got the news about J.P. in spring training … in our mind's eye, we were approaching it like he wouldn't be back," Friedman said. "And if he was, obviously it'd be a huge boost."

The bullpen has stepped up in Howell's absence, entering Wednesday with a 1.63 ERA (77 innings, 14 earned runs) in the previous 30 games. While Randy Choate is the only lefty, manager Joe Maddon said RHPs Lance Cormier, Joaquin Benoit and Andy Sonnanstine have shown they can get lefties out.

"We have a lot of guys we feel comfortable with and we have a lot of confidence in," Friedman said. "That said, if something presents itself that makes a lot of sense for us, obviously we'll be aggressive in pursuing it."

Friedman said they went through a rehab process in a "very methodical way" to give Howell the best chance to return.

"We tried everything possible to avoid (surgery)," Maddon said. "And it was unavoidable as it turned out."