The Houston Astros called up Ronel Blanco from Triple-A Sugar Land for his 2023 debut as a starter as the team shifts to a six-man pitching rotation.
Houston is deploying a deeper rotation to account for the team playing 17 consecutive games, as the Astros are currently seven games into that stretch.
Blanco was brilliant in his first start this season as the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 on Thursday night at Minute Maid Park.
The 29-year-old righty, who entered Thursday's contest with nine games under his belt in the Majors out of the bullpen this season, pitched 5.1 innings while allowing two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
"It's a great accomplishment and great goal for me, and obviously the guys are very happy for me," Blanco told MLB.com. "It's also very exciting."
Blanco (1-0, 4.15 ERA) has now pitched 17.1 innings for Houston in 2023 with 21 strikeouts and a 1.90 WHIP and becomes the sixth-man in the Astros current rotation.
"We needed that one," Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said. "Blanco was huge today, just giving us length honestly. Not only length, but quality innings. He was attacking and competing. It's huge."
Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38 ERA), who was the Opening Day starter this season, is slated to start Friday's showdown with the Angels and enters the contest with 72.0 innings under his belt, 77 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP.
Los Angeles counters with two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani (5-1, 2.91 ERA), with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.
The Astros current number two starter, due primarily to the loss of José Urquidy, Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia to injuries, is Christian Javier (6-1, 2.97 ERA) -- who will start Saturday and has been remarkable this season, posting a 0.99 WHIP with 67 strikeouts over 63.2 innings pitched.
J.P. France (1-1, 4.00 ERA), Brandon Bielak (2-2, 3.19 ERA) and Hunter Brown (5-2, 3.61 ERA) round out the top five in the rotation, as Houston's rookies have been superb on the hill this season and have helped solidify a pitching staff that has been plagued with ailments and setbacks.
Houston's 17-game stretch of games will conclude on Sunday, June 11 at Cleveland before the Astros return home for a nine-game homestand.
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