Right-hander Joe Blanton is arguably the best reliever left on the free-agent market, but that may not be the case for long, as ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that interest in the 36-year-old has begun to pick up now that the upper tier of free-agent relievers have found new homes (Twitter link). A return to the Dodgers is still possible for Blanton, per Crasnick, though multiple teams figure to have interest following a pair of resurgent seasons for the former starter.
Blanton’s career looked to be running on fumes as recently as 2014. The long-time Athletics and Phillies hurler inked a two-year deal with the Angels prior to the 2013 season but was rocked for a 6.04 ERA in 132 2/3 innings before being released at the end of Spring Training 2014. He pitched briefly with the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate that year but ultimately walked away from the game for the majority of the 2014 campaign. It wasn’t until February of 2015 that Blanton elected to give things one more go, signing a minor league deal with the Royals that proved to be the beginning of a mid-30s renaissance.
In 41 2/3 innings with the Royals, Blanton posted a respectable 3.89 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9, but he wound up being designated for assignment anyway and landed with the Pirates. Pittsburgh is where Blanton really turned things around, though, working to a 1.57 ERA in 34 1/3 innings, which led to a one-year, $4MM deal with the Dodgers last winter. His success continued into his age-35 season in Los Angeles, as Blanton whiffed 80 hitters and issued just 22 unintentional walks in 80 innings of work for manager Dave Roberts.
All told, Blanton as posted a stellar 2.65 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 40.6 percent ground-ball rate in 156 innings of relief since resurfacing in the Majors in 2015. He was lit up by the Cubs in a pair of NLCS outings — seven runs on seven hits and two walks in three innings — but that shaky performance is vastly overshadowed by the larger body of work he’s turned in across the past two seasons. Despite the fact that he’ll pitch next year at the age of 36, Blanton still seems like a candidate for a solid multi-year deal — especially in a market that has been quite favorable for late-inning relievers to this point.
The rumor mill surrounding Blanton has been mostly quiet until now, with the Marlins and Dodgers as the only teams linked to his services. Miami, though, is likely done adding to its roster after signing Edinson Volquez, Brad Ziegler, Junichi Tazawa, Jeff Locke and A.J. Ellis. Crasnick further notes that Blanton lives in Napa Valley (and owns a vineyard there) and, all things equal, would prefer to pitch for a West Coast team. The Dodgers would obviously fit that bill, though other potential bullpen-needy teams could include the Mariners and Giants. Both Colorado and Arizona are western-division clubs that could look to further augment their bullpens as well.
Yuk! No thanks.
Dito dito dito dito
No way the dodgers can give him a 2 year deal. He was a steal laat offseason and they should be satasfied with what he gave them. I saw enough 0-2 hangers in the playoffs to see he isnt worth overpaying for
Yeah he was definitely solid for us during the regular season but his playoff performance wasn’t fun to watch…it took me back to when Matt Stairs demolished Jon Broxton back in ’08…I’d say unless he took a solid hometown discount it wouldn’t be wise to overpay him on a contract over 1 season
As painful as he was to watch in the postseason I know he was stellar during the regular season and I also know it wasn’t his fault that he was overused. The lack of another reliable relief arm was the FO’s fault. I’d be happy to see Blanton back on a two-year contract, but fercrissakes this time don’t make him pitch every other day.
I dont think it was a lack of reliable arms as much as it was everyone being over used. The bullpen was very good in the regular season but got taxed as the playoffs went on. Dayton was untouchable before his pathetic meltdown in game 5 @ washington. Baez was very solid until the nlcs shifted to dodger stadium Now a team with lack of reliable arms was the giants
Everyone was being overused because of the rotation, but Blanton in particular because nobody else not named Jansen was reliable. He literally appeared in almost half the games, and this was from someone who was signed to be the long man.
San Francisco’s pen was a disaster. Different issues entirely. No point in comparing the two.
Ehhh healthy and reliable yes. It was pretty clear Lib was tremendous until his injury. Dayton also showed to be pretty good. Avi seemed to show well but he was more of a matchup guy. But yes beyond that it was a mixture of burnout and not being able to count on 3 set guys consistently.
Liberatore was used very heavily until he ran out of gas. Whether that was from overuse we will see. Avilan is a barely warm body. Dayton may prove useful.
What an awful pitch that was. Should have been a heater no where near the plate.
@dodgerfan711 Whose fault is it that with 2 strikes on the batter that the catcher called exactly the same pitch as the 2nd strike on the 3rd pitch? Was that Blanton’s fault, or was it a poor call by the catcher? In my opinion it was a poor call by the catcher that he got burnt. Strike 2 was a 12-6, or 11-5 curve ball, and then the catcher called the same pitch when there was 2 strikes on the batter, there was no need for any relayed or telegraphed signals there.
Grandal called for a slider. Blanton threw a washing machine-like hanging for all eternity slider. So not sure how catcher is to blame for that. Blanton was way overused during the season. Because he was good. I’d be happy to have him back.
That’s not on Grandal. The sequencing actually called for it. It was pretty clear Montero was touching anything spinning. A slider on his back foot and Montero is done. Pitchers miss pitches no doubt about it. Fact is he picked the worst time to throw a cement mixer. It was the right call right pitch terrible execution.
Yankees should look into Blanton on a one year and 10M deal.
10 for HIM?! HA!
The only one stupid enough to pay Batting Practice Blanton 10 million a year, is in Seattle now.
There’s two actually, the other one is currently coaching for the sawx.
This has Shapiros name written all over it
Lol you people think he’s trash because of one at bat? I watched him throughout the season dominate hitters. Then when we got to the playoffs, he’s a huge reason why the dodgers got to the nlcs. And thought the nlcs he did good excluding the one appearance he threw back to back to back meatballs. This guy was great outta the pen
He was far from “dominating” in the regular season, he was lights out in the NLDS but absolute garbage in the NLCS, even without that one pitch.
Kershaw was bad in the playoffs yet again this year, should they get rid of him too? Blanton was good in the regular season for 2 years now, someone is gonna pay him, and just like every other reliever, he has risk, but he could also have reward.
Kershaw and Blanton are two wildly different pitchers on two wildly different levels. I never said he wouldn’t be a good signing, ck22 was painting him as a lock down reliever save for one bad game which was hardly the case.
There was a pitch to Anthony Rendon with men on, score tied in game four after the Nats came back against Kershaw that should have Jack Clarked the Dodgers out of the postseason right then and there. Blanton lived through that one only to throw the same pitch 0-2 several more times during the Cubs series, with less luck in the outcome.
That said, I’d like to have him back with some significant help so he ends up with fewer innings pitched as others have mentioned.
One at bat? Game 5 was tied until he threw one into addison russells favorite spot. He was a disaster in the NLCS
@Dodgerfan711 Who was calling the game, Joe Blanton?
“Right-hander Joe Blanton is arguably the best reliever left on the free-agent market”
wow that’s incredibly sad, never thought I would hear/read those words. whoever gives this guy more than 1.5 million or more than 1 year will absolutely regret it.
Dodgers spent 5M and got 80 great innings out of it. I wonder if they regret it.. Hes been a good reliever for two years now
Exactly. And he’s been good with 3 different teams. It’s not as if he suddenly hit the jackpot last year with the perfect situation. Whatever problems he had prior to 2015, he’s been both versatile and solid. I know that a return to Pittsburgh isn’t in the cards but if it somehow happened I would be quite pleased.
Who did Wade Davis sign with? I would think, even coming back from injury he would have the claim to “best reliever left on the free-agent market.”
Davis was traded to the Cubs. Assume you meant Holland. He’s still a FA but a lot of questions still with his health and if he’ll be useful this year.
Do you mean Holland? Wade Davis was traded to the cubs because he has another year of control
What’s that saying; There’s no such thing as a bad 1 year contract. If they over perform great if they’re not very good then it’s easily taken care of.
Halos
YOU ARE INSANE? THEY HAD THIS GUY BEFORE. YOU DONT REMEMBER HIS 2-14 SEASON?
If he’s insane, then you are blind.
Most Angels fans don’t know jack about baseball and they just started following baseball when they made their World Series run in ’02
Yo, Eppler–leave this one alone.
Blanton to the Angels? OH PLEASE…..
The Angels happen to need some bullpen help. If they get blanton, neftali feliz, and romo or casilla we could have a great bullpen. What team has the best bullpen so far? Orioles or Cubs for me.
Yankees and marlins good too.
And AngelFan69 if you want our team to pick up some cheap, veteran relievers so we can still money for starting pitchers you should think about this one.
Mcdusty 31 dude chill. Just saying the angels are trying to contend and their weakness is their pen. So if your gonna judge angel fans for their opinion, put one of your own.
Blanton Suxs that’s it
25 teams could use him, but I’d like to see the Pirates bring him back. He was very good here.
A guy who pitch high leverage or give you some length. Nice piece.
Sorry, I Didn’t know that a ROY reliever with a 7 and 2 record and 2.48 era *Sucks.
Blanton more than tripled his slider usage and thats why he has had some good results. That will never last though as batters adjust. Wouldnt sign him for more than one year and at very low salary.
No thanks, from an Angels fan.
I’m obviously in the minority of Angels fans who wouldn’t mind taking a flyer on Blanton as a reliever. The bad memories are of him as a starter. Not as a reliever. In retrospect, the Angels should’ve put him in the bullpen much earlier in 2013. They had Garrett Richards waiting in the wings the whole time and as soon as they took Blanton out of the rotation and put Richards in, they plowed through their late August and September schedules that year. Blanton has proven himself as an effective reliever. The only thing that worries me right now about him is the fact that he’s 36. Sooner or later he’ll burn out as a reliever just because of age. But a one year deal shouldn’t hurt. If things go wrong again they can just release him. The Angels have added a lot this offseason but they could still use whatever bullpen help they can get.
Joe Blanton has pitched 156 ip for 46 runs in 2 years of work as a reliever with 159k, and he has gone 14W-4L, and some people here want to call him out. Laughable indeed.
Holland is by far way better even with his most recent procedure !!!
I’ll even take Manship or Feliz over Blanton !!!
He’s the kind of guy you want in your bullpen for the regular season, but don’t want to turn to in the postseason.
Oh.
Yea Blanton was lit up like a Christmas tree in the play offs .He was the same with the Angels he’s terrible!!!
Don’t understand why guys like Blanton and Nova have value. I’d give them a spring invite.
Huh? Really? The Angels surely do not want him back!
Wow a lot of Angels fans don’t know anything about baseball..