Blanco (13-6) picked up the win Friday at Cleveland, pitching five scoreless innings while allowing one hit and two walks. He struck out three.
The Houston right-hander took a 0.95 ERA over 19 September frames into this game, and Friday represented his third scoreless start of the month. Blanco yielded just one hit -- a Will Brennan single in the fifth inning -- as he stymied the Guardians over 86 pitches. The 31-year-old caps a brilliant breakout season in which he was a fantasy star, producing a 2.80 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 166:68 K:BB across 167.1 innings, including a no-hitter on April 1.
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Fans nine in comfortable victory
Rotowire
Blanco (12-6) earned the win over the Angels on Saturday, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out nine batters over six innings.
Blanco gave up a second-inning run that tied the score 1-1, but Houston put up six more runs by the end of the third to give the right-hander plenty of padding. He yielded just one more tally -- on a Logan O'Hoppe solo homer -- and notched his second straight quality start (and second consecutive victory). Blanco has emerged as a key part of the Astros' rotation with a 2.88 ERA (fifth among qualified pitchers), 1.10 WHIP and 163:66 K:BB over 162.1 innings, though it's possible he moves to the bullpen once the postseason begins.
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Excellent in return to rotation
Rotowire
Blanco (11-6) allowed four hits and two walks while striking out five over six scoreless innings to earn the win over the Angels on Sunday.
Blanco struggled with a 4.98 ERA over 34.1 innings across seven appearances immediately after the All-Star break. He's since turned things around with a 13-inning scoreless streak over three outings (two starts) in September, though it likely helped that he had a turn through the rotation skipped last week. Overall, Blanco has a 2.88 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 154:64 K:BB through 156.1 innings this season. If the Astros stick with a six-man rotation this week, Blanco is lined up to face the Angels again, with that outing in Houston.
Blanco will be available out of the bullpen for this weekend's series against the Diamondbacks, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Manager Joe Espada confirmed, however, that the Astros will be returning to a six-man rotation following Monday's team off day, which means Blanco will be back in the rotation next weekend in Anaheim. Chances are, the right-hander will return to the bullpen for the postseason, but with Houston not having another day off after Monday until Sept. 26, Blanco could perhaps make two more starts before the end of the campaign. He's already thrown a career-high 148.1 innings in 2024.
The Astros are skipping Blanco's next turn in the rotation, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Blanco had been on turn to start Sunday against the Diamondbacks, but Justin Verlander will move up to take the ball on regular rest that day instead. Houston has an upcoming stretch of 16 games without an off day later this month, and they plan to return Blanco to the rotation sometime during that stretch. However, it's anticipated the righty will eventually move to the bullpen on a permanent basis prior to the postseason.
Blanco (10-6) allowed three hits and four walks while striking out three across five scoreless innings to earn the win Sunday against the Royals.
Blanco struggled with efficiency, needing 101 pitches to get 15 outs. He now has 13 walks across his last 24.1 innings pitched, which covers a span of five starts. He's overcome his control issues to post a 3.33 ERA in that stretch, though he's failed to complete five innings twice while posting a 1.44 WHIP.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Eventual move to bullpen likely
Rotowire
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Blanco is the most likely candidate to move to the bullpen when the team shifts to a five-man rotation, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The Astros have been utilizing a six-man rotation since Justin Verlander returned from the injured list in late August, but a move back a traditional five-man setup is imminent. Blanco's next turn would come up Sunday against the Diamondbacks, but it's not clear whether he will take the ball that day or move to the bullpen before then. The 31-year-old has been a godsend for the Astros' rotation this season, but he does have a 4.35 ERA in the second half and is already more than 20 innings past last year's workload. Blanco was used almost exclusively in relief from 2018-22.
