Los Angeles Angels could release Joe Blanton

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Veteran right-hander Joe Blanton is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career and it just might cost him his job with the Los Angeles Angels. Blanton figures to be the odd man out of the Angels rotation next season and MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez opines that the team could bring him to Spring Training with the hope of moving him before Opening Day. If they are unable to they could simply release him.

Blanton’s 2013 season was nothing short of a disappointment for the 32 year old. His 6.04 ERA and 1.613 WHIP marked career highs, while he struggled to an uninspiring 2-14 record. By late July he’d lost his place in the team’s rotation and was relegated to mop-up duty out of the bullpen.

The Angels have been aggressive in reshaping their pitching staff this offseason. The team’s been linked to a handful of players (including recent reports suggesting they could be in the mix for Masahiro Tanaka), but their biggest move was the trade that shipped Mark Trumbo to Arizona. In return they’d receive a pair of left-handers, Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago, who are currently projected to round out the starting rotation behind Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, and Garrett Richards.