Ronel Blanco got optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land right before Houston’s regular-season finale on Sunday, a brutal move that could slam the door shut on his year if the Astros make the AL wild-card round. Talk about a gut punch for a guy trying to stick in the bigs.
That 6.68 ERA and The Brutal 15-Day Rule
The numbers really did Blanco no favors this season. This right-hander was rocking a 6.68 ERA over 33⅔ major-league innings, which is just tough to swallow for any pitcher. He did pitch the final two innings of Saturday’s win against the A’s, his first appearance since September 13. But with that option, the rules are clear as day: he cannot be recalled for a minimum of 15 days unless someone else goes on the injured list. You know what that means for Houston. If they claw their way to a wild-card spot, Blanco’s out. He can’t join them for that round. That’s a brutal reality check, especially in the final stretch when every arm is supposed to count.
Paredes Scares Astros, Raynel Delgado Steps Up
While Blanco got the bad news, Houston also made a depth move by calling up infielder Raynel Delgado from Triple-A. Why? Because third baseman Isaac Paredes fouled a ball off his left knee Saturday night, giving the Astros a real scare. Manager Joe Espada told reporters Paredes’ knee was “pretty sore today. But he’s good to go,” which had to be some relief for the team. Paredes actually suited up at third for Sunday’s game, showing some serious grit. Delgado’s there for insurance, having played 19 games for Houston this season with a .243/.300/.351 slash line across 41 plate appearances. Not eye-popping numbers, but a body on the bench is better than none when your starting third baseman is dinged up.
So, heading into their final regular-season game against the A’s, the Astros have some real drama. They’re fighting to win the AL West and push into the playoffs, but they just shuffled their bullpen and their third baseman is playing hurt. It’s all on the line today.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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