Joe Blanton pulled from Los Angeles Angels starting rotation
By Brian Spaen
Joe Blanton has been removed from the Los Angeles Angels’ starting rotation on Wednesday and was replaced by Garrett Richards following another bad outing on Monday.
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports the switcheroo on Twitter. Rotoworld gives us more on the potential reason why Blanton was taken out of the rotation.
"Blanton’s abbreviated (3 2/3 innings) outing Monday was the straw that broke the camel’s back. After signing a two-year, $15 million deal over the offseason, the right-hander has gone 2-13 while posting a 5.66 ERA over 20 starts."
Some of the Angels’ offseason acquisitions haven’t panned out as expected in the past few seasons, and one of them has definitely been Blanton who’s been hiding behind headlines featuring Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton.
Blanton started off this season dropping seven of his first eight starts (the other lone start being a no decision). He’s only made it through five innings or worse in nine of his starts.
Three of those starts have taken place in the month of July, giving up 18 total earned runs compared to 13 in the entire month of June.
His next scheduled start was Saturday against the Oakland Athletics, but it will now be pitched by reliever Garrett Richards.
Richards has a 4.66 ERA in 67.2 innings pitched this season. He has a record of 2-4 and notched a save.