Ronel Blanco

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Ronel Blanco
Houston Astros – No. 56
Pitcher
Born: (1993-08-31) August 31, 1993 (age 30)
Santiago, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 8, 2022, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through April 20, 2024)
Win–loss record4–1
Earned run average3.69
Strikeouts81
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Ronel De Jesus Blanco (born August 31, 1993) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He signed with the Astros as an international free agent in 2016, and made his MLB debut in 2022. He threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024.

Career[edit]

Blanco was a corner infielder and outfielder before he began pitching at the age of 18, and signed with the Houston Astros as an international free agent on April 27, 2016, aged 22.[1][2] He split the 2016 season between the DSL Astros and the GCL Astros, going a combined 7–1 with a 2.13 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 50+2⁄3 innings.[3] Blanco split the 2017 season between the Quad Cities River Bandits and the Buies Creek Astros, going a combined 6–5 with a 3.38 ERA and 79 strikeouts over 88 innings.[3] He split the 2018 season between Buies Creek and the Corpus Christi Hooks, going a combined 7–1 with a 3.65 ERA and 71 strikeouts over 56+2⁄3 innings.[3] Blanco split the 2019 season between the Tri-City ValleyCats, Corpus Christi, and the Round Rock Express, going a combined 5–2 with a 4.96 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 49 innings.[3] Blanco did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blanco spent the 2021 season with the Sugar Land Skeeters.[4][5]

On April 7, 2022, the Astros selected Blanco's contract and placed him on the major league roster. On April 9, he made his major league debut in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels. On March 28, 2023, it was announced that Blanco had made the Astros' Opening Day roster for a second consecutive season.[6] Blanco debuted as a starting pitcher in the major leagues on June 1, 2023, earning the win in a 5–2 final over the Angels after tossing 5+1⁄3 innings with seven hits, three walks, two earned runs allowed and five strikeouts.[7]

Blanco threw the first no-hitter of the 2024 MLB season on April 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays.[8] The eighth start of his career,[9] it was the seventeenth no-hitter in franchise history,[10] and the tenth thrown by a Dominican pitcher.[11] He was named the American League (AL) Player of the Week for the first time for the week ended April 6, 2024.[12] In his next start on April 7, Blanco tossed another 5+2⁄3 no-hit innings until a single hit by Adolis García of the Texas Rangers ended 14+2⁄3 consecutive no-hit innings. Blanco set an expansion-era record (since 1961) of 44 outs recorded to begin a season before allowing a hit.[13]

Personal life[edit]

Blanco is married to wife Yanissa. Their second child was born in March 2024.[14]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ DeRosa, Theo (April 1, 2024). "Who is Ronel Blanco, newest member of no-hit club?". MLB.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "Ronel Blanco stats & scouting report". Baseball America. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Ronel Blanco minor & winter leagues statistics & history". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Longenhagen, Eric (August 25, 2021). "Daily Prospect Notes: AL Postseason Pitching On the Way". FanGraphs.com. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
  5. ^ "Skeeters Clinch Divisional Title with Win over Albuquerque | SportsTalk 790". The A-Team w/ Wexler & Clanton. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Rome, Chandler (March 28, 2023). "Prospects Corey Julks, César Salazar make Astros' roster for opening day". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Lerner, Danielle (June 1, 2023). "Astros 5, Angels 2: Ronel Blanco shines in first MLB start". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "Houston Astros' Ronel Blanco no-hits Toronto Blue Jays". ESPN.com. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  9. ^ McTaggart, Brian. "In 8th MLB start, Astros righty Ronel Blanco fires 1st no-no of '24". MLB.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  10. ^ McTaggart, Brian (April 1, 2024). "'The play had to be made': How Abreu saved Blanco's no-no". MLB.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  11. ^ DeRosa, Theo; Langs, Sarah; Maguire, Brent; Jacobson, Cole (April 1, 2024). "9 fun facts about Ronel Blanco's no-hitter". MLB.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  12. ^ Kawahara, Matt (April 7, 2024). "Houston Astros' Ronel Blanco named American League Player of the Week after historic opening stretch". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  13. ^ McTaggart, Brian (April 7, 2024). "Astros cruise as Blanco makes another run at no-hit history". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  14. ^ "Astros' Blanco throws 2024's first no-hitter vs. Blue Jays".

External links[edit]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by No-hitter pitcher
April 1, 2024 		Succeeded by
Most recent
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