The Pittsburgh Pirates strengthened their bullpen on Thursday by acquiring right-hander Joe Blanton from the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations and trading Double-A shortstop Jacoby Jones to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for closer Joakim Soria.
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In 15 games, four starts, Blanton has a 3.89 ERA and 40 strikeouts compared to seven walks in 412/3 innings.
Worley bounced between the rotation and the bullpen for Pittsburgh, going 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 20 appearances.
The Pirates have not officially announced how they will use Blanton just yet, but expect him to start unless he proves that he shouldn’t be. His 2014 numbers were the best of his career, and joined his 2011 season as the only qualifying year that he posted an ERA (3.01) under 4.
Blanton is expected to meet the Pirates in Cincinnati tonight and will be activated as the Pirates begin their series with the Reds. “Detroit was strong on getting him”.
“It’s kind of similar to what I’d been doing over there”, Blanton said. The Royals lead the AL Central.
“It was a little refreshing”, Blanton said of his brief stint in retirement. The Pirates are second to St. Louis in the NL Central, but first in line for a wild card berth. [It was] not ideal at the time, but I think in the long run I think it helped me.
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Blanton retired before last season, but got an urge to make a comeback after working out with former Pirates starter Zach Duke in the past offseason.
