The Dodgers have selected the contract of veteran right-handed reliever Nate Jones from Triple-A Oklahoma City, per a team announcement. Infielder Travis Blankenhorn, whom L.A. recently claimed off waivers from Minnesota, was designated for assignment in order to create a spot on the 40-man roster for Jones.
Jones, 35, had a strong spring showing with the Braves but was rocked in his 10 1/3 innings for Atlanta during the regular season. Lack of command was his primary downfall, as Jones issued 10 free passes in that time. The Braves released him earlier this month, and he quickly inked a minors pact with the Dodgers.
Jones allowed four runs in three innings with the Dodgers’ Triple-A club, but he also had a 6-to-1 K/BB ratio there. The improved control seemingly was enough for the Dodgers to give him a look at the big league level. It helps, of course, that Jones has a lengthy track record at the big league level. The veteran hurler was somewhat quietly a high-quality member of the White Sox’ bullpen from 2012-19. He battled numerous injuries along the way, but whenever Jones was healthy enough to pitch, he was generally sharp. In 291 1/3 frames with the South Siders, he pitched to a 3.12 ERA with a 26.5 percent strikeout rate.
Blankenhorn, 24, was a third-round pick of the Twins back in 2015. He’s tallied four plate appearances with the Twins since Opening Day 2020, representing his lone MLB experience. Last year’s canceled minor league season meant Blankenhorn missed what would’ve been his first taste of Triple-A action, so the six games he’s played there in 2021 are his first at that level. He hit .278/.312/.474 with 18 dingers and 11 steals at Double-A in 2019. Given the heavily pitcher-friendly nature of that setting, Blankenhorn’s slash line was good for a hearty 125 wRC+.
The Dodgers will have a week to trade Blankenhorn or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. He has a minor league option remaining beyond the 2021 season and has ample experience at second base and third base, so it’s not out of the question that another club with some infield needs might look to place a claim or pick him up in a small trade.
Hopefully we get 2016 Jones
Hopefully we get 11 solid inns !
“It helps, of course, that Jones has a lengthy track record…”
Jones to the IL in 3,2,1…
There was pressure on Jones and Bauer with the ’20 Reds because of a lack of run support or bat consistency from that lineup. It still mystifies me (60 game season or not) on how the Reds made the playoffs last year with a team BA of .211. Well the Braves exposed the Reds batting order in the Wild Card round (two-game sweep) so that was that.
In other news. Cubs placed Steele on the IL with a hamstring strain (giving the league more of a reason for a universal DH) and recalled Weick.
Where’s all the people that whined that the Twins gave up Blankenhorn for nothing??
the dude they replaced him with has already been designated. still poor roster management.
LA having a deeper roster (and bullpen issues) doesn’t negate the twins gave up seemingly a competent bat when they are… struggling
Like I said in here before, the Dodgers don’t need Blankenhorn. He isn’t going to beat out anyone in the infield and even with no depth at SS (Seager and Mckinstry on the IL) behind Taylor.
Taylor is an ironman, he hardly ever gets injured or is put on the IL. He’s been an everyday or platoon player since 2017. I don’t see him giving up that SS spot until Seags comes back or McKinstry comes back. McKinstry is projected to come back way faster than Seags is though (Seager isn’t projected to come back until between mid-June to sometime in July).
I want the Cubs to claim him. Or possibly trade a minor piece for him.
To do what?? Unless you can get the Mets to take Bote’s contract, there is no room for Blankenhorn in the Cubs backup infield mix. Bote and Sogard are the backups right now, and they don’t have the luxury of three backup infielders when both Joc and Heyward are liabilities against LHP.
Zero control issues tonight.
Yeah Jones pitched well for the Dodgers tonight, which was key with a one run lead and a bullpen that threw a lot of pitches, collectively,, the previous night. Treinen was solid, as well. Nice to see them secure the win for Bauer, who pitched an excellent game while throwing the most pitches in a MLB game so far this season.
Did you catch Bauer’s postgame interview? It was a hoot.
But just you wait, if Bauer misses a start for any reason this season somebody will say it’s because he threw over 120 pitches on May 21st.
Bauer lacked command today and reason for high pitch count. Got away with free passes and less than ideal location in the strike zone. That said the stuff is great and why he gets away with lack of command.
Bauer is very similar to kershaw. His trouble will come mostly from walks, and solo home runs (if they don’t walk people). They both do not give up consecutive hits almost ever
Bauer also got squeezed on some clear strikes. As has been particularly typical of home plate umps this season, the one last night was inconsistent and kind of all over the place with his calls all around. Overall, I think Bauer pitched well and gave the Dodgers the lengthy outing they needed. His pitch count was higher than it needed to be due mainly due to two specific things. A clear strike that would have ended an inning, which the ump called a ball, and Bauer’s awful throw to first, which was an error that resulted in a run but should have ended that inning. Take those away and Bauer would likely have been close to 100 pitches at the time he was taken out, and may have even finished that inning. Nevertheless, those things happen and I think Bauer did a damn good job in general.
A statistical point: the probability of a pitcher who is hit for a .300 BA giving up two consecutive hits is 9%. At .200 it’s 4%.
I swear, Covid has messed with the umpires eyes. The last two years have been brutal
I don’t wish bad on any person or player no matter what colors you wear. However, this dude got rocked when he pitched for my Bravos. We were looking at him as a stabilizing righty but he was anything but.
The Braves gave him a grand total of 10 innings.
You act like relievers have never had a bad month before
That’s really dramatic.
The Pirates should try to get Blankehorn and plug him at third until Hayes is healthy so Erik Gonzalez gets less at bats then move Blankenhorn to second when Frazier is inevitably traded.
Hey Twinkies !!
You should have first shot at getting Blankenhorn back !!
The Pirates should claim Travis.
At the end of the day, the Dodgers need Nate Jones more than they need Travis Blankenhorn. Jones even with his ups and downs has a place in the bullpen for the Dodgers, because they are trying to get as many arms there as they can as to rest their main relievers or kill some time until some of their IL-relievers get back in action.
As much as I or any Dodger fan would love or like to see Victor Gonzalez, Blake Treinen, Jimmy Nelson, and to a certain extent David Price and Joe Kelly relieve every damn night, it just isn’t possible or right for their arms and bodies. So Jones’ activation is necessary.
If Roberts and Prior were so enamored with Edwin Uceta, Alex Vesia, and Dennis Santana or not all that worried about that trio’s command, strike efficiency, and ability to eat or close innings they would have given Jones just a cursory look and not even signed him to minor league contract (did that on May 14th).
As for Blankenhorn, there’s no room for him in the infield. Who is he going to beat out? Maybe at SS because there’s scant depth there behind Taylor and with the IL players (Seager and McKinstry). I wish him the best but the Dodgers even with their injury problems this year.
All you dodgers fans who havnt seen this guy pitch . Get ready for an early homerun derby
Well, he was solid on Thursday against the Giants. Showed solid command, fired some strikes, got help from the defense, and the Dodgers needed that in that game. That game was so tight and contested that everything had to be right and Jones did well in my opinion. It’s a long season and he will go through some s**** but that’s normal.