Blanco (3-0) earned the win Saturday over Colorado after he gave up two runs on five hits and two walks across 5.2 innings. He struck out eight.
The right-hander surrendered a two-run homer to Ryan McMahon in the opening frame but otherwise had no issues pitching at altitude in Mexico City. Blanco came up an out short of extending his streak of quality starts to five, but it was yet another strong performance. The 30-year-old has been a bright spot amid a horrible start to the season for Houston with a 1.65 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 30:14 K:BB across 32.2 innings.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Another quality start Saturday
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Blanco came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Nationals, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out six.
The right-hander extended his quality start streak to four to begin the season, firing 63 of 98 pitches for strikes, and Blanco was in line for his third win after the Astros took the lead in the top of the seventh while he was still pitcher of record. Unfortunately, Ryan Pressly coughed up that lead in the ninth. Blanco will take a 1.33 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 22:12 K:BB through 27 innings into his next outing, which lines up for a potentially tough road tilt at Coors Field against the Rockies.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Third straight quality start
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Blanco came away with a no-decision in Friday's 9-2 win over the Rangers, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out five.
The breakout star of the Astros' rotation turned in his worst outing so far in 2024 and gave up his first runs of the year, but he still delivered his third quality start in three trips to the mound. All the damage off Blanco came in the first inning after a pair of two-out walks, but he settled in after that and left the game having thrown 57 of 93 pitches for strikes. The 30-year-old righty sports a 0.86 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 16:9 K:BB through 21 innings, and he lines up to make his next start in a road tilt against the Nationals next weekend.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Turns in another gem
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Blanco (2-0) allowed a hit and four walks over six shutout frames Sunday, striking out four and earning a win over Texas.
In his first start since firing a no-hitter against Toronto, Blanco carried a no-no through 5.2 frames before Adolis Garcia squeaked a single through the infield. The 30-year-old righty relied more heavily on his fastball Sunday, using it 50 percent of the time with a 93.7 mph average velocity. He's turned in 16 shutout frames with an 11:6 K:BB to begin the year. Blanco will look to continue riding the momentum in his next outing, which is lined up to be a rematch with the Rangers.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Joins Houston's rotation
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Manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Blanco will open the season in the Astros' rotation, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Espada gave Blanco the good news in the dugout Tuesday after the pitcher fanned 10 over 4.1 innings in an exhibition start against Triple-A Sugar Land. While Blanco is in line to receive at least a couple starts, his hold on a rotation spot is tenuous with Justin Verlander (shoulder) and Jose Urquidy (forearm) on the mend.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Candidate for rotation
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Blanco could begin the season in the rotation, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Blanco was a versatile option for the Astros in 2023, as he made 17 appearances in the majors -- seven of which were starts. He posted a 4.74 ERA paired with an uninspiring 35:21 K:BB across 38 frames as a starter, though Houston may have little choice to turn to him with Justin Verlander (shoulder) set to begin the season on the injured list and J.P. France (shoulder) still limited. Blanco has made three spring training appearances, with his longest outing being three frames. He's also gotten good results, throwing 7.2 scoreless innings while compiling an 8:2 K:BB.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Returns to Sugar Land
Rotowire
The Astros optioned Blanco to Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday.
Houston activated right-hander Phil Maton (elbow) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. Blanco has now been optioned five times this season, so if he's called up again by Houston, he would have to be exposed to waivers if the Astros end up demoting him.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Optioned back to Triple-A
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Blanco was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land following the Astros' 3-2 victory over the Guardians on Wednesday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Blanco made a spot start in Wednesday afternoon's series finale versus Cleveland and scattered two earned runs on five hits and four walks over four innings while tallying three strikeouts. Phil Maton picked up the official win in relief.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Recalled for start Wednesday
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Houston recalled Blanco from Triple-A Sugar Land ahead of his start Wednesday against the Guardians, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Blanco has posted an underwhelming 4.70 ERA and 1.44 WHIP through 46 major-league innings this season and he had allowed 16 runs -- 15 earned -- in 15 frames (three starts) since being optioned back to Triple-A in early July. The 29-year-old right-hander makes for a risky fantasy streaming option, even versus Cleveland's lackluster offense.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Heads to minors
Rotowire
The Astros optioned Blanco to Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.
Since Blanco wasn't scheduled to make another start during the final week before the All-Star break, the Astros opted to swap him off the 26-man active roster in favor of a fresh bullpen arm in Parker Mushinski, who was recalled from Sugar Land in a corresponding move. While serving as a starter in each of his last five appearances for Houston, Blanco went 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 23:15 K:BB across 28 innings. Unless Jose Urquidy (shoulder) is ready to return from the 60-day injured list coming out of the All-Star break, Blanco will likely rejoin the Astros once the team requires a fifth starter for the first time in the second half.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Picks up second win
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Blanco (2-0) yielded three runs on four hits and four walks over five innings Friday, striking out two and earning a win against Texas.
Most of the damage against Blanco came in the fourth inning when he served up back-to-back solo homers to Josh Jung and Jonah Heim. Despite the lackluster outing, Blanco picked up his second career win and first since June 1. Since moving from the bullpen to the rotation, he's registered a 4.82 ERA and a 23:15 K:BB through five starts. He's currently projected for a home matchup with the Rockies next week.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Records quality start Saturday
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Blanco allowed three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out six batters over six innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers on Saturday.
It looked like Blanco could be in for a rough outing when Los Angeles hit two homers and put up three runs in the first inning, but the right-hander didn't allow any runs or hits over the remainder of his start. He finished with the second quality start of his career, both of which have come over his past three appearances. Blanco got the start Saturday as a result of Brandon Bielak being demoted to the minors, and the former likely showed enough in recovering from the rough first frame to remain in the rotation. He's tentatively scheduled for a difficult matchup on the road against Texas his next time out.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Making spot start Sunday
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Blanco is scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Reds at Minute Maid Park, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
After the Astros' recent stretch of 17 games in 17 days came to an end Monday, Blanco was moved to the bullpen while Houston condensed its rotation from six men to five. The Astros still plan on running a five-man rotation for the most part, but Blanco will make a spot start this weekend since manager Dusty Baker wants to give rookie Hunter Brown an extra day to recover from the seven-inning, 99-pitch workload he handled in Tuesday's win over the Nationals. Blanco will presumably transition back to a relief role following Sunday's start.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Shifting to bullpen
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Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Blanco will be available out of the bullpen as a long reliever moving forward with Houston transitioning back to a five-man rotation, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The Astros are completing a string of 17 games in 17 days Sunday, and Blanco had been called up from Triple-A Sugar Land early in that stretch to help give Houston's other five starting pitchers an extra day of rest amid the busy schedule. Though Blanco acquitted himself well in his first two big-league starts -- he turned in a 3.18 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 10:7 K:BB in 11.1 innings -- his results weren't spectacular enough to supplant either J.P. France or Brandon Bielak as a back-end option in the rotation.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Nabs win in first big-league start
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Blanco (1-0) garnered the win against the Angels on Thursday, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five batters over 5.1 innings.
It wasn't a breezy outing for the right-hander -- he threw just 59 of 94 pitches for a strike and dealt with plenty of traffic on the bases -- but he mostly got out of trouble when he needed to (including an inning-ending strikeout of Shohei Ohtani with the bases loaded in the second.) Blanco had come out of the bullpen for each of his first 16 major-league appearances but will pitch as a starter for the time being with the Astros not getting their next day off until June 12. It remains to be seen how he will adjust to the role, as it's relatively foreign to him -- over eight minor-league campaigns, only 23 of his 191 appearances came as a starter.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Sent to Triple-A
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Blanco was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
He logged a 4.50 ERA, 1.92 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings while working in a low-leverage role. The move clears a roster spot for Saturday's starter J.P. France.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Makes Opening Day roster
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Astros manager Dusty Baker confirmed Sunday that Blanco's contract will be selected from Triple-A Sugar Land ahead of Opening Day, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Baker said that Blanco and Bryan Abreu secured the final two spots in the Astros' season-opening bullpen after Brandon Bielak and Seth Martinez were optioned to Sugar Land, while non-roster invitees Adam Morgan and Zac Rosscup were informed they wouldn't make the club. The 28-year-old Blanco will hit the big leagues for the first time in his career, coming off a 2021 campaign in which he posted a 3.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 57:16 K:BB in 45 innings for Sugar Land.
