Blanco (8-2) allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out four over seven innings to earn the win over the Orioles on Saturday.
Blanco wasn't as dominant as he was with seven no-hit innings last weekend versus the Tigers, but it was still an impressive showing. He's allowed just two runs over 20 innings across his last three starts after giving up four runs in each of his two outings before this stretch of dominance. The right-hander continues to thrive in his first full year as a starter, pitching to a 2.34 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 79:35 K:BB through 84.2 innings over 14 starts. Blanco is projected to make his next start on the road versus the Mets.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Hurls seven no-hit innings
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Blanco (7-2) got the win Sunday vs the Tigers. He did not allow a run or a hit in seven innings while walking three and striking out eight.
Blanco flirted with his second no-hitter of the season, but his elevated pitch count forced him out of the game after seven frames, and the bullpen would give up a hit the next inning. The 30-year-old righty mowed through the Tigers lineup by registering eight strikeouts in another impressive showing. Blanco lowered his ERA to 2.43, and he became the eighth pitcher since 1900 to have multiple games of seven innings and zero hits allowed in single season.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Drawing start Sunday
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Blanco will start Sunday's game against the Tigers, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Heading into the weekend, Blanco wasn't expected to make a start against the Tigers, but he ended up getting pushed up in the pitching schedule after Justin Verlander had his turn in the rotation skipped due to a neck injury. As a result of the change in the pitching schedule, Blanco no longer lines up for two starts during the upcoming week. After Sunday's outing, the right-hander is on track to make his next start next weekend versus the Orioles in Houston.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Dominates Giants for sixth win
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Blanco (6-2) got the win over the Giants on Tuesday, allowing one run on three hits and a walk while striking out eight over six innings.
Blanco matched his season high with eight strikeouts. His lone blemish on the night was allowing a solo home run to Brett Wisely in the third inning. It was an encouraging bounceback effort from the 30-year-old after allowing eight runs and combining to strike out eight over his prior two starts coming into Tuesday's game. Blanco now owns a 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 67:28 K:BB in 70.2 innings and lines up for an enticing matchup against the White Sox early next week.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Falls to St. Louis
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Blanco (5-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Cardinals, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out two.
Blanco held St. Louis to one run through his first four frames before surrendering three runs between the fifth and sixth innings. After starting the year 5-0, Blanco's now dropped back-to-back starts while allowing eight runs across 9.1 innings in that span. The 30-year-old right-hander still sports a solid 2.78 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and 59:27 K:BB across 11 starts (64.2 innings) this year. Blanco will look to get back on track in his next outing, currently scheduled for early next week in San Francisco.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Suffers first loss
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Blanco (5-1) took the loss Friday against Minnesota, allowing four runs on three hits and three walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out six.
Blanco faced 20 batters, marking a season low, not including his May 14 start against Oakland when he was ejected after three innings for a foreign substance. The Houston right-hander also yielded a season-high four runs, pushing his ERA up to 2.44 overall in 59 innings. Blanco is tentatively scheduled to make his next start against the Cardinals at home next week.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Returning from suspension Sunday
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Blanco (suspension) will be added to Houston's active roster Sunday and will start in the club's series finale in Oakland that day, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The Astros unsurprisingly won't waste any time reinserting Blanco into the rotation upon the completion of his 10-game ban. The right-hander threw live batting practice Monday and shouldn't face any significant limitations in his first start back.
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that Blanco has been suspended 10 games violating the prohibitions on foreign substances, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. He's expected to appeal the suspension.
Blanco was ejected from Tuesday's against the Athletics prior to the fourth inning after umpires examined his glove for a foreign substance. With MLB concurring with the umpires' assessment a day after investigating the matter, an automatic 10-game suspension was triggered for Blanco. The Astros haven't formally deactivated Blanco, so for now, the expectation is that he'll be able to pitch for Houston until the appeal process is completed.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Ejected after substance check
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Blanco was ejected from Tuesday's game against the Athletics ahead of the fourth inning after umpires examined his glove for a foreign substance, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The umpires confiscated Blanco's glove for further examination from Major League Baseball, and the 30-year-old righty will be hit with an automatic 10-game suspension if it's determined that he used an illegal substance while on the mound. Blanco has emerged as a crucial part of Houston's rotation this season, carrying a 2.23 ERA and 1.02 WHIP alongside a 41:20 K:BB across 44.1 innings through his first seven starts. He had fired three scoreless innings while striking out four batters and walking one before getting tossed from Tuesday's contest.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Improves to 4-0
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Blanco (4-0) earned the win over the Yankees on Thursday, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings.
Blanco was a bit shaky with his control, as he threw just 62 of 107 pitches for strikes and tied a season high with four free passes. However, he allowed just one extra-base hit -- an Anthony Volpe two-run homer that accounted for both runs against him. Blanco thus improved his perfect record to 4-0 on the season, and he's allowed three or fewer runs in all seven of his starts. He's also recorded five quality starts on the campaign, falling one out shy in each of his two outings during which he hasn't met that mark. Blanco has cemented his place in Houston's rotation with a 2.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 41:20 K:BB through 44.1 innings.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Yields three runs
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Blanco allowed three runs on five hits and two walks over six innings in a no-decision Friday. He struck out six during a win over Seattle.
All the damage against Blanco came via the long ball, with Jorge Polanco going deep in the third inning followed by Dylan Moore in the fifth. Entering Friday's start, Blanco had given up just two homers through 32.2 frames. It was the first time this season he's allowed more than two runs in an outing but he still produced his fifth quality start. Blanco owns a terrific 2.09 ERA with a 36:16 K:BB. His next start is lined up to come on the road against the Yankees.
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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
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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
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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.
