The Nationals have struck a one-year deal with reliever Joe Blanton, pending a physical, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Blanton is slated to receive a $4MM guarantee with $1MM in available incentives, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.
$3MM of that salary will be deferred, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter) and Barry Svrluga of the Washingon Post (Twitter links) report, with $1MM payable in 2018 and the other $2MM kicked to 2019. Blanton will take home an additional $250K apiece upon reaching fifty and sixty innings, along with a nice $500K payout if he gets to seventy.
Though he’s coming off of a second consecutive season of steady bullpen production, the 36-year-old had languished on the market this offseason. When catcher Matt Wieters joined the Nats, Blanton was left as the last available name on MLBTR’s list of the top fifty free agents.
[RELATED: Updated Nationals Depth Chart]
It’s easy to see the fit in D.C., where the bullpen has remained somewhat in flux after the organization missed on closer targets Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon. While Blanton doesn’t seem likely to factor directly into the competition for the ninth inning job, he’ll deepen the team’s late-inning corps.
It wasn’t long ago that Blanton seemed like he might be headed for retirement. His last full season as a starter came in 2013, when he scuffled to a 6.04 ERA with the Angels, and he sat out the following campaign. But the righty reemerged with the Royals in 2015, and thrived yet more upon moving to the Pirates that year in a mid-season trade.
The surprising showing of the newly minted reliever led to a $4MM deal with the Dodgers last year. That signing paid big dividends for Los Angeles, as Blanton worked to a 2.48 ERA with 9.0 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9. He carried a sturdy 80-inning workload, allowing just 55 base hits in that span.
It would be unwise to expect Blanton to continue generating a meager .240 batting average on balls put in play against him, but his other peripherals portend continued success. Though he drew far less grounders than usual (32.5% against a career average of 43.9%), Blanton tamped down the long balls that plagued him in the second half of his time working from the rotation. And he generated swinging strikes at an excellent 14.2% clip, representing an increase over his already-strong 2015 numbers (13.0%).
Beyond the ability he displayed, Blanton showed he’s still capable of carrying a heavy burden for a reliever while retaining his arm speed deep into his career. He averaged a career-best 91 mph with his fastball last year, with his slider and curve also rating as above-average offerings. While his change wasn’t as productive in 2016, Blanton’s starter’s arsenal also gives him some added flexibility. Though he surrendered free passes more frequently to the 111 lefty batters he faced than the 204 righties that came to the plate against him, Blanton held southpaw hitters to an anemic .186/.288/.258 batting line.
That’s not to say that Blanton comes without questions. He did falter in the NLCS, though he was aces for the Dodgers in their thrilling divisional series against the Nats, when he provided five scoreless innings over which he allowed just a single base knock and compiled five strikeouts against one walk. Of greater concern is his ability to continue succeeding while giving up a fair amount of hard contact (34.3%) while permitting many more flyballs (45.6%) than grounders (32.5%). And he did that while generating far fewer harmless infield pop-ups than he had in 2015 (15.2% versus 5.3%). If a few more of those flies end up in the seats — which is always possible when Nats Park heats up over the summer — then there could be some regression in store.
Regardless, it’s a solid value for the Nationals, who will add Blanton to a righty setup mix that also includes Blake Treinen, Shawn Kelley, and youngster Koda Glover. One of those three seems likely to take the closer’s job, though lefty Sammy Solis could also enter that discussion. Veteran right-handers Joe Nathan and Matt Albers now seemingly face taller odds in their bids to crack the Opening Day roster. It’s still tempting to wonder whether the organization will pursue an experienced closer before camp breaks, though the addition of Blanton likely draws down the available resources and reduces the likelihood of another significant move.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
a1544
Great move. Kelly, Blanton, Treinen is an underrated back end
plem24
Underrated because it’s not very good. They’re in trouble with that mess
a1544
I sense you don’t watch any of these guys pitch
Mikel Grady
As a cub fan I enjoyed Blanton in nlcs
JOCFORPREZ
typical arrogant stupid Cubs.They fan
JOCFORPREZ
You won’t repeat it trust me..Arrogant fan base on the boards.
senortaco
Doesn’t help their ninth inning role but good move. Blanton has been highly undervalued during this free agency. Nats cashing in on the guys other teams looked over.
Sundevil617
For so cheap I’m surprised the Dodgers didn’t keep him. Interesting move not to get him back but nonetheless a good move for that Nats hopefully he maintains good form and doesn’t sink.
crazysull
I think they are going to role with Nathan as the closer at least for the 1st half and try to get one at the deadline. I could possibly see them trying to get Robertson again at the deadline, or possibly even Rosenthal since he lost his role as the closer in St. Lewis and the Cards could get a decent return for him so I could see that as a possible fit as well
a1544
Why let Nathan close when you have 3 better options. That’s ridiculous
senortaco
Nathan closing would end very badly
Travis’ Wood
Nathan closing?! Lol!! He probably won’t even make the team.
norcalblue
Congratulations to the Nats and good for Joe. I’m sure this will be an excellent fit for Washington. Joe may well of had the biggest balls of any reliever I have ever watched in LA. A true warrior! He will be missed on and off the field.
JOCFORPREZ
wondering why the Dodgers couldn’t sign him for a year ? oh well.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
That’s a good question. I’m sure they are close to their own budget but who knows. Maybe the playoffs didn’t sit well with them.
dodgerfan711
I would say it was the playoffs but romo blew 2 saves so it might something else
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Na Romo blew what one save. But he won’t be expected to close and that Giants pen was a dumpster fire. With Romo you have a guy that should solely be used against RH.
dodgerfan711
Eh that hit zobrist got off him in game 4 was huge and worth the blown save even if he didnt get it in the scorebook. But yeah there wont be as much pressure
bfolls
When they moved Nuno, I assumed they were opening up a spot to bring back Blanton
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
No that was just a spot that needed to be opened up for Guti.
hojostache
Blanton for $4m is a STEAL. I hate that WAS signed him, but they were the most obvious choice. They still are thin in the BP…so their starters better go deep. I’m not worried about Scherzer…dude is a tank. Straus though….
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Damn good luck to Joe. Without him the Dodgers don’t sniff the playoffs. Dodger fans know he was gassed and the pen was absolutely taxed due to all their injuries.
Senioreditor
With him, they have no chance to beat the Cubs.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Well that’s an ignorant comment but you do you.
Joseph Anderson
How is it ignorant? If the dodgers just won you’d have the same confidence going into the season….
Travis’ Wood
Its ignorant because the Nats would have a great chance to beat the Cubs in the playoffs (Cubs would still be favored) and Blanton does nothing but help the Nats’ chances.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Why is it ignornant? Without Blanton the Dodgers don’t make the playoffs. Everyone forgets how he performed against the Nats. He was gassed simple and plain. Look Blanton had two clear bad moments. But to pin the Dodgers potential pitfalls on Blanton vs the Cubs is just ridiculous. I never said anything concerning the Cubs. My response was that Blanton makes the Nats better. He made the Dodgers better. He was on of their two bullpen workhorses. He essentially makes every team better, especially if said team doesn’t incur the significant sp injuries and tax their pen.
OCTraveler
Heard that one of the reasons he moved from the Dodgers is that he still wants a shot as a starter and the Dodgers have too many better options for him to be a consideration
Travis’ Wood
That is false. He will not be starting for Washington.
Senioreditor
LA didn’t want him after the gopher balls he threw in post season.
metseventually 2
Late innings will be so fun in Washington
Travis’ Wood
How so? The Nats pen is better than the Mets pen…
hojostache
In what world is this true? Familia and Reed are better than anyone in WAS’ BP. The guys behind them are very effective role players. Blevins is a very good lefty (though can pitch to both L/R bats), and the guys left fighting for the last few spots all have shown they can pitch in tight spots. Gsellman/Lugo did it as starters, so stepping in to pitch an inning with 2-3 effective pitches will most likely make them more than serviceable 7th inning guys.
If most sports writers are saying WAS needs BP help….I’d take that as a sign that they need help. Signing Blanton was the best non-trade move to make, but I personally think they will look very thin if ANY of those arms goes down for an extended period of time…which happens in baseball.
coachbrad
I was hoping the dodgers would resign him. I can see the question marks teams might have had though; low babip, more hard contact, fewer pop ups, more fly balls.
He was nails all season for the Dodgers and took us far as he could. Best of luck to him.
SupremeZeus
Could be nice value if he still has enough left in that old arm for a full season + playoffs. Late in the season he was gassed, his slider was flat, lots of hard contact and he got beat when games were in the balance in counts where hitters knew what was coming (slider). I wouldn’t trust him in high leverage situation in the playoffs (certainly not the last 3/4 outs).
start_wearing_purple
I didn’t watch him last season, but I believe in numbers having meaning. According to his splits, Blanton clearly declined over the season, but he also pitched more innings than any non-starter for the Dodgers. Add to that 47 of his 80 innings came on 1 day of rest or less.
I’d say he was being misused. If the Nats can stretch him out more, make sure he doesn’t pitch consecutive days as often, I think he could be a good arm for the Nats late in the season.
norcalblue
Yup, I think your point is spot on. The Dodgers had a very good pen last year–primarily because of Kenley, Joe and Dayton. Unfortunately, the inability of the LAD starters to eat innings throughout the year really tasked the bullpen. Despite the depth of starters and in the pen (Dodger pen threw far more innings than any other pen in the playoffs), these guys were gassed by October. Only Kenley was fresh or just strong enough to step up his game in October. The rest were all running on fumes.
norcalblue
I guess I might quibble with the term “misused”. Doc did what he had to do and, despite the amazing depth, the pitching staff was just spent by October. As a Dodger fan, I thought we were competitive with the Cubs; but, in the end, Cubs were the deeper and stronger team in October and they deserved to be in the WS.
BlueSkyLA
Yeah, misused is not the right word. Not only did the starting rotation demand massive use of the bullpen, Roberts was saddled with ineffective relievers (Hatcher, in particular) who should never have been on the roster, let alone, in the setup role. Blanton was signed to be the long man. He was only moved into the setup role when nobody else worked out. Roberts worked with what he was given.
gamemusic3 2
That is not completely true. Roberts did use Blanton unnecessarily in low leverage situations.
DannyQ3913
Love Heavy B!
hyraxwithaflamethrower
Is it me or does nearly every contract the Nationals offer contain deferred money? I wonder how much they’re putting off for the future.
National Anthem
Does this really need to be spelled out again? Simplifying the situation: the Orioles hold the Nationals” broadcast rights. The Nationals are fighting that in court. Oriole owner Angelos owes the Nationals money. The incurred debt plus (hopefully) a more favorable TV contract will be used to pay the deferred payments. Long term, there’s no issue.
bearsfan49055
The Nats need to trade for Robertson.
Francisco
Nats are the king of deferred salaries.
pullhitter445
Blanton is garbage. He handed the Cubs a playoff game.
Sid Bream
Go back and have a look at what the catcher called on 2 strikes on Addison Russell. It was exactly the same pitch as strike 2, and Russell was sitting on it and said thanks for coming. Are you going to blame Blanton for throwing the pitch that the catcher called? He did hang it, but the call was a bad call. I blame the catcher for calling a dumb pitch.