Astros' Ronel Blanco: Has internal brace procedure
Rotowire
Blanco's (elbow) Tommy John procedure included an internal brace and a repair of the flexor tendon in his forearm, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported Friday.
Blanco underwent the surgery Friday, and the procedure included some fixes to the flexor tendon. Blanco isn't expected back until deep into the 2026 season.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Surgery scheduled for Friday
Rotowire
Blanco (elbow) is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery Friday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
It was announced last week that Blanco needed the operation to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow and now the surgery is officially on the calendar. He will be out at least until the second half of the 2026 season.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Moves to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Astros transferred Blanco (elbow) to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
The transaction is merely procedural, as Blanco is scheduled to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery in the near future. With the right-hander coming off the 40-man roster, the Astros were able to open up a spot for outfielder Jacob Melton, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Sugar Land.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: To have season-ending surgery
Rotowire
Blanco (elbow) will undergo surgery next week and will be sidelined for the rest of the 2025 season, the Astros announced Wednesday.
Blanco reported soreness in his throwing elbow on May 19 and hit the injured list May 22 with elbow inflammation. Houston sought out a second opinion on the 31-year-old's injury, which yielded severe enough results to require season-ending surgery. It's unclear if he will have traditional Tommy John surgery or a hybrid internal brace procedure. Colton Gordon should fill Blanco's spot in the rotation until Luis Garcia (elbow) or Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) are reinstated from the IL, which isn't expected to happen until late June or July. Blanco finishes 2025 with a 3-4 record, a 4.10 ERA and 48:20 K:BB in 48.1 innings spanning nine starts.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Undergoing Tommy John surgery
Rotowire
Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Blanco (elbow) will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The team announced that Blanco would be undergoing season-ending elbow surgery Wednesday but didn't supply the specifics regarding the procedure. It's now known that Blanco will require Tommy John surgery, which will likely force him to miss a significant portion of the 2026 campaign. Colton Gordon should hold down Blanco's spot in the rotation until the Astros get Luis Garcia (elbow) or Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) back from the injured list.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Lands on IL, seeking second opinion
Rotowire
The Astros placed Blanco on the 15-day injured list Thursday due to right elbow inflammation, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Blanco's first examination Wednesday revealed inflammation in his elbow, which was all the Astros needed to hear to put him on the shelf for at least the next 15 days. It's still unknown exactly how much time the 31-year-old will miss, but his upcoming meeting with a second doctor should help the team determine the next steps in Blanco's recovery.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Getting sore elbow examined
Rotowire
Blanco has been sent back to Houston to be evaluated after reporting right elbow soreness Monday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Blanco had been scheduled to start this weekend against the Mariners, but his status is now up in the air as he gets examined by doctors Wednesday. An update on the right-hander's condition should be available later this week.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Takes loss despite quality start
Rotowire
Blanco (3-4) was charged with the loss Saturday, giving up three runs on five hits and three walks over six innings in a 5-1 loss against the Rangers. He struck out five.
The right-hander came out for the sixth inning with the game tied 1-1, but a Joc Pederson two-run homer put him on the hook for the loss. It's the third straight quality start for Blanco, and he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in an outing since April 6. He has a 3.24 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 39:14 K:BB across 41.2 innings during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Dominates in victory
Rotowire
Blanco (3-3) allowed two hits and a walk over eight shutout innings Sunday, striking out 11 and earning a win over the Reds.
Blanco was nearly untouchable in his dominant outing Sunday. He retired the first nine batters he faced and did not allow a runner to reach third base. It was his first career double-digit strikeout performance and his longest start since throwing a no-hitter April 1, 2024. Blanco threw 65 of 101 pitches for strikes and generated 16 whiffs, including nine with the slider. He dropped his ERA to 4.04 with a 43:17 K:BB through 42.1 innings. Blanco is currently lined up for a road start against the Rangers next weekend.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Gets little support in defeat
Rotowire
Blanco (2-3) took the loss against Milwaukee on Monday, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six batters over six innings.
Blanco pitched well enough to notch a quality start, but the Astros managed just one run against Brewers starter Tobias Myers and four relievers. Blanco impressed with 14 whiffs and threw 19 of 26 first pitches for strikes but was done in by a rough third inning during which he gave up all three of his runs, two of which came on a Christian Yelich homer. The right-hander has completed at least five innings and yielded three or fewer runs in each of his past five starts, and he's projected to face Cincinnati the next time he takes the mound.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Fans six in five frames
Rotowire
Blanco allowed three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six batters over five innings in a no-decision against Detroit on Monday.
All three runs Blanco allowed came via the long ball, as Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run shot against him in the third inning and Riley Greene added a solo homer in the fourth. Otherwise, Blanco was pretty solid, as he surrendered just one other hit and induced a healthy 19 swinging strikes. The right-hander has completed at least five frames and given up three or fewer runs in five of his six appearances this season, and his lone ugly outing was a four-run, 1.2-inning start against Minnesota on April 6.
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Works into seventh inning in win
Rotowire
Blanco (2-2) gained the win against the Blue Jays on Tuesday after allowing one run on two hits and two walks in 6.2 innings. He struck out three.
It was a much-needed bounce-back effort by Blanco, who induced 12 whiffs and gave up just two hits Tuesday after entering play with a dismal 6.38 ERA through his first four starts in 2025. The right-hander did yield a solo shot to Nathan Lukes in the third inning, but it was still Blanco's longest outing of the season in terms of innings pitched. Blanco now holds a 5.01 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 20:12 K:BB over 23.1 frames ahead of his next scheduled appearance, currently projected for next week at home against the Tigers.
Blanco (1-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Cardinals, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out one.
Blanco got off to a nice start, allowing just one hit through his first four scoreless innings. However, the Cardinals led off the fifth with back-to-back singles before Lars Nootbaar launched a three-run homer. It's been a shaky beginning to the year for Blanco -- his ERA now sits at 6.48 with a 1.68 WHIP and 17:10 K:BB through his first four starts (16.2 innings). Blanco is currently scheduled for a home matchup with the Blue Jays in his next outing.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Earns first win
Rotowire
Blanco (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out seven over five innings to earn the win over the Angels on Friday.
The Astros' offense was a little quiet early on before erupting for a six-run fifth inning. Blanco had allowed a solo home run to Mike Trout in the fourth and an RBI single to Jo Adell in the fifth to account for the two runs on his line. This was Blanco's first win in three starts, and he threw of 52 of 84 pitches for strikes. He's struggled with walks at times this year -- he has a 16:7 K:BB over 11.2 innings while adding a 6.94 ERA and 1.63 WHIP. However, the Trout homer was the first long ball Blanco's given up, and he should be able to find a decent amount of success if he keeps the ball down. The right-hander's next start is projected to be on the road versus the Cardinals next week.
... See More... See Less
Astros' Ronel Blanco: Struggles against Twins
Rotowire
Blanco pitched 1.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three batters in Sunday's 9-7 extra-inning win over the Twins. He did not factor into the decision.
Blanco was in trouble early Sunday, surrendering three hits and a walk in the first inning, which resulted in three runs for Minnesota. He then walked two batters and gave up two singles while recording just two outs in the second frame. Blanco has now combined to allow seven runs on eight hits and six walks while striking out nine batters over 6.2 innings in two starts this season. His next turn in the rotation is tentatively set to come Saturday at home against the Angels.
Step up to the plate and take this short, confidential survey. It'll help make CBSSports.com a better experience for users everywhere. Want to give it a shot?
8:57
5:55
9:14
1:29
1:23
1:07
7:09
1:09
0:24
1:07
1:53
8:47
9:07
0:57
8:43
10:58
9:36
9:53
9:29
