Blanco stole a base as a pinch runner in Tuesday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Astros.
Blanco is tied for third in the American League with five steals despite logging just three plate appearances over eight games. He's also scored four runs. The 30-year-old is on the Royals' roster for speed and defense as a late-game replacement, but it's fair to assume he's not first in line to take a starting role if one of the team's other outfielders gets injured.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Two steals off bench Monday
Rotowire
Blanco stole two bases and scored a run as a pinch runner in Monday's 6-4 loss to the Orioles.
This will be a familiar role for Blanco -- enter the game late and let speed do the rest. He ran for Kyle Isbel in the ninth inning, then stole second and third before coming home on a Maikel Garcia sacrifice fly. Blanco has logged just one at-bat over three contests so far. As a fourth outfielder, his playing time is likely to be minimal, but his speed off the bench offers a little intrigue in AL-only fantasy formats.
Royals' Dairon Blanco: Makes roster as extra outfielder
Rotowire
Manager Matt Quatraro informed Blanco that he'll be on the Royals' Opening Day roster, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports Saturday.
Blanco is likely to fill a bench role as a speed-and-defense option off the bench. The Royals are expected to begin the year with MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe as the starting outfield from left to right. Blanco stole 24 bases in 2023 despite logging just 138 plate appearances, so he could have some appeal in AL-only fantasy formats.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Back in action
Rotowire
Blanco (calf) is starting in center field in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Giants.
Blanco returned to Cactus League play Sunday after suffering a mild calf strain last week, and he'll look to keep his hot streak alive against San Francisco. Blanco has registered six hits in 16 at-bats this spring while driving in one run and scoring three times, and the 30-year-old remains in the race for a bench spot on Kansas City's Opening Day roster.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Has mild calf strain
Rotowire
Blanco has been diagnosed with a mild calf strain following an MRI, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro referred to the strain as "very mild" and said he expects Blanco to be ready for Opening Day. The speedy outfielder will take a break from running for a few days but will still be able to hit and throw.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Heading for MRI
Rotowire
Blanco will undergo an MRI on his calf Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Blanco dealt with cramping in his camp during Saturday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks and was forced to exit the contest early. The MRI is considered precautionary, and he should be back in action in a few days if the results come back clean.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Has edge for fourth outfield spot
Rotowire
Blanco is viewed as the favorite to be the Royals' fourth outfielder, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The 30-year-old Blanco offers reliable defense and speed off the bench, making him better suited to be an extra outfielder. With a utility man (Garrett Hampson) and designated hitter (Nelson Velazquez) with outfield experience, the Royals may opt to have Drew Waters develop more at Triple-A Omaha, while Blanco can be a late-game replacement. Blanco hit .258 with a .776 OPS and 24 stolen bases in just 138 plate appearances last season in a similar role.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Socks home run, steals two in win
Rotowire
Blanco went 3-for-3 with a home run, one RBI, two runs scored and two steals in Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Yankees.
Blanco contributed across the board in his return to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in the two games prior. Sunday's game marked his sixth multi-steal effort of the campaign and he concluded the season with 24 stolen bases in 68 games. In that span, the rookie outfielder slashed .258/.324/.452 with three home runs, 19 runs and 18 RBI in a part-time role.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Adds two steals Saturday
Rotowire
Blanco went 0-for-4 with two stolen bases in Saturday's 10-8 win over the Astros.
Blanco has logged five steals over seven games in September despite going just 3-for-16 (.188). The outfielder didn't need a hit Saturday, getting on base on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning before swiping second and third. He's up to 22 thefts in 27 attempts through 126 plate appearances, and Blanco also sports a .230/.304/.407 slash line.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Swipes two more bags
Rotowire
Blanco went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two steals in Tuesday's 11-10 victory over the White Sox.
Blanco hasn't done much at the plate, going 4-for-20 (.200) in his last nine games, though he now has five stolen bases in that span. On the year, he's slashing .239/.314/.422 with two homers, 17 RBI, 16 runs and 20 stolen bases. The 30-year-old outfielder has primarily filled a bench role for the Royals, though he could be a source of speed in deeper fantasy leagues down the stretch.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Lifts second homer
Rotowire
Blanco went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays.
Blanco also struck out three times. The part-timer has gone just 5-for-25 (.200) over his last 11 games, though it's a span that includes both of his homers this season. He's slashing a meager .238/.310/.429 with 17 RBI, 18 stolen bases and 15 runs scored through 117 plate appearances.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Registers 18th steal
Rotowire
Blanco went 1-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and a stolen base in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Red Sox.
Blanco's role remains fairly limited -- he'd logged just six at-bats over his previous four games. The outfielder has been a speed threat when he can get into games, with 18 steals on 23 attempts this season, and a .313 on-base percentage is passable for a player in a reserve role. He's added a home run, 16 RBI and 13 runs scored over 113 plate appearances.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Logs steal in loss
Rotowire
Blanco went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Pirates.
Blanco has recorded nine of his 17 steals this season over 20 games in August. He continues to be most impactful as a pinch runner -- he's seen just 31 at-bats this month while working in a part-time role. For the season, he's slashing .245/.317/.426 over 105 plate appearances.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Notches 16th steal
Rotowire
Blanco went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Saturday's 15-2 loss to the Mariners.
Blanco has gone 4-for-13 with four steals and two RBI over his last 10 contests. The speedster is now 16-for-21 on the basepaths this season while batting .250 with a .752 OPS across 102 plate appearances. He continues to operate as a fourth outfielder for the Royals, with MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Drew Waters getting the majority of the playing time.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Launches first big-league homer
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Blanco went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Athletics.
Blanco opened the scoring in the third inning Wednesday with a 414-foot homer off Adrian Martinez, the first of his major-league career. It's certainly a positive sign from the 30-year-old outfielder, who had just one extra-base hit in his previous 19 games. Overall, Blanco's now slashing .247/.316/.438 with 14 RBI, 13 runs scored and 16 stolen bases across 99 plate appearances this season while typically serving as the Royals' fourth outfielder.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Logs two more steals
Rotowire
Blanco recorded two stolen bases and a run scored in Friday's 12-8 win over the Cardinals.
Blanco ran for Nelson Velazquez in the eighth inning. Velazquez got aboard on a single, and Blanco stole second and third before scoring on a Matt Duffy single. While he has just 86 plate appearances over 38 games, Blanco has racked up 14 steals, six doubles, four triples, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored. He could see more action in right field while Drew Waters is on the bereavement list.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Runs wild Friday
Rotowire
Blanco went 1-for-3 with three RBI and three stolen bases in Friday's 7-5 win over the Phillies.
Blanco lined a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning and plated another run in the eighth. He's up to 12 steals this season, four of which have come over his last four games. The outfielder is slashing .246/.297/.420 with 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, six doubles and three triples through 75 plate appearances. Drew Waters (undisclosed) was scratched from Friday's game, and Blanco would seem most likely to benefit if his fellow outfielder misses more time.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Adds another steal
Rotowire
Blanco went 0-for-2 with a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Mets.
Blanco is just 2-for-11 over his last seven games, but he's picked up two steals in that span and now has nine thefts this year. The outfielder still doesn't have an everyday path to playing time, as the Royals' outfield went mainly untouched during their sell-off at the trade deadline. Blanco has a .231/.286/.415 slash line with seven RBI, eight runs scored, six doubles and three triples through 70 plate appearances over 30 games.
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Royals' Dairon Blanco: Logs eighth steal
Rotowire
Blanco went 0-for-3 with a stolen base in Monday's 5-3 win over the Guardians.
Blanco was plunked and stole second in the ninth inning. Aside from a four-hit effort July 18 versus the Tigers, the outfielder has been nothing special with the bat. He's managed eight stolen bases on 11 attempts through 64 plate appearances, but he's slashing a paltry .220/.281/.407 with three triples, five doubles, no home runs, six RBI and seven runs scored.
