Dave Roberts welcomes Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager into the dugout. The Dodgers defeated the Brewers 10-6 on Saturday. (John McCoy/Staff photographer)
Dodgers starter Mike Bolsinger was knocked out in the third inning, but the Dodgers found a way to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 10-6 on Saturday. The box score is here. The photo gallery is here.
Joe Blanton is enjoying his comeback, writes colleague Mark Whicker. The Dodgers want Hyun-Jin Ryu to get his pitches up to speed.
The St. Louis Cardinals got to Joe Blanton and avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Dodgers 5-2 on Sunday. The box score is here.
The Dodgers and Angels are beginning their 20th season of interleague play, which has lost some of its buzz.
Dodgers pitcher Mike Bolsinger is recovering from a strained oblique muscle. (Getty Images)
So, who’s leading that race?
Joe Blanton made 10 starts for the Dodgers in 2012, but will pitch as a reliever in his return to Los Angeles. (Getty Images)
The Dodgers have signed pitcher Joe Blanton, bringing back the 35-year-old as a long reliever — a role he thrived in last year — on a one-year, $4 million contract.
Blanton briefly retired in 2014 when he flamed out as a starting pitcher for the Oakland A’s Triple-A affiliate. In 2013, his last full season as a starting pitcher, Blanton went 2-14 with a 6.04 earned-run average for the Angels.
In 2015, the right-hander re-surfaced as a relief pitcher with the Kansas City Royals, who sold his contract to the Pittsburgh Pirates in July. His combined stats for the two teams: A 2.84 earned-run average in 36 games — 32 out of the bullpen — over 76 innings. Blanton struck out 79 batters against only 16 walks.
The Philadelphia Phillies traded Blanton to the Dodgers in August 2012. He went 2-4 with a 4.99 ERA in 10 starts. After the season, he signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the Angels.
The Dodgers declined to exercise the 2013 club options on Todd Coffey, Juan Rivera and Matt Treanor.
They join another seven players who became free agents today: Brandon League, Shane Victorino, Randy Choate, Jamey Wright, Joe Blanton, Adam Kennedy and Bobby Abreu.
In other words, no big names or surprises for the Dodgers on the first day of free agency. Players can only sign with new teams beginning at 9 p.m. Friday. Between now and then, the Dodgers can re-sign any of their in-house free agents, and they’ve already opened discussions with League’s representatives.
General manager Ned Colletti said that he would like to bring back Choate and Wright, as well, to keep intact a bullpen that finished the 2012 season strong.
Coffey, Rivera and Treanor now fall into the category of Victorino, Kennedy and Abreu: highly unlikely to be on the roster next season.
Blanton is an interesting case. The Dodgers gave him what amounted to a 10-start audition in August and September. In five starts at home, the 31-year-old right-hander went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA. Not bad. In five road starts he was 1-3, 6.51. Bad.
I guess that makes Blanton a “known quantity” for a team that is looking to add a starting pitcher. But looking at a free-agent market that now includes Zack Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Ryan Dempster, Kyle Lohse and Hiroki Kuroda (another “known quantity”), the Dodgers probably figure they can do better.
The hot stove is just warming up.