Blandino is attempting to become a pitcher, Fernando Rayo of 8 Deportivo reports.
Blandino is expected to report to Double-A Chattanooga for the start of the season, as he didn't secure an invitation to big-league spring training when inking his MiLB deal in November. He's appeared in five major-league contests as a pitcher and has featured a knuckleball during his brief experience on the bump.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Joins Cincy on minors deal
Rotowire
Blandino signed a minor-league contract with the Reds on Wednesday.
Blandino joined the Giants on a minor-league deal ahead of the 2022 season before being traded to the Mariners. He was let go by Seattle in August of 2022 and didn't play last year, but he's slated to get another opportunity to provide organizational depth for the Reds in 2023. The 31-year-old played in 135 major-league games with the Reds between the 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons and hit .226 with two homers, 29 runs, 16 RBI and a steal. He should play mainly in the minors in 2023.
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Alex Blandino: Cut loose by Seattle
Rotowire
The Mariners released Blandino on Aug. 1.
Bladino is back on the open market after spending time in the Giants and Mariners organizations this season. The 29-year-old infielder played exclusively at Triple-A Tacoma during his time with Seattle, slashing .203/.399/.341 over 188 plate appearances.
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Mariners' Alex Blandino: Shipped to Seattle
Rotowire
Blandino was sent from San Francisco to Seattle on Saturday in exchange for Stuart Fairchild.
The move sees the two sides swap depth options. Blandino doesn't have a 40-man roster spot and has spent the year with Triple-A Sacramento, where he's hit .183/.309/.280. He owns a .226/.339/.291 slash line in 279 career major-league plate appearances.
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Giants' Alex Blandino: Inks minor-league deal
Rotowire
Blandino signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Friday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Blandino was granted free agency by the Reds in early November, and he'll land a minor-league deal with San Francisco just over a month later. He made 43 appearances in the majors last year and hit .200 with nine runs, five RBI and a stolen base. The 29-year-old will be invited to big-league spring training in 2022.
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Alex Blandino: Becomes free agent
Rotowire
The Reds granted Blandino free agency Monday after outrighting him off the 40-man roster last week, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Cincinnati retained Blandino's rights after he went unclaimed off waivers, but the organization will let the 29-year-old explore his options on the open market his winter. The infielder appeared in 43 games for the Reds in 2021, slashing .200/.317/.257 across 82 plate appearances.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Cast off 40-man roster
Rotowire
Blandino was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.
Blandino was sent to the minors in mid-August after he was reinstated from the 60-day injured list, and he'll now lose his spot on the 40-man roster. The 28-year-old appeared in 43 major-league games in 2021 and hit .200 with nine runs and five RBI.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Reinstated, sent down
Rotowire
Blandino (hand) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday.
Blandino began a rehab assignment at the end of July and went 1-for-26 with two doubles, two RBI, a run, five walks and five strikeouts. He'll be an option to serve as utility depth if the Reds encounter injuries.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Rehab kicks off Wednesday
Rotowire
Blandino (hand) is scheduled to begin his minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Blandino will likely spend at least a week on the farm to get his timing back at the plate as he returns from a fractured right hand he suffered in early July. Once activated from the 60-day injured list, Blandino will fill a utility role for the Reds, though he could also be optioned to Louisville.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Starting rehab next week
Rotowire
Blandino (hand) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
The 28-year-old broke his right hand when he was hit by a pitch back on June 4. Having missed two months, Blandino will likely require a fairly lengthy rehab assignment, so he figures to be ready for activation around Aug. 4, when he'll be eligible to come off the 60-day IL. The infielder hit .200 with five RBI in 70 at-bats before the injury.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Shifts to 60-day injured list
Rotowire
Blandino (hand) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday.
Blandino suffered a broken hand when he was hit by a pitch in early June. He'll now be ineligible to return before Aug. 4, though it's not yet clear whether that's his target date. The move clears space on the 40-man roster for Michael Lorenzen (shoulder) to return from his own trip to the 60-day injured list.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Won't require surgery
Rotowire
Blandino won't require surgery to repair his broken right hand, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Blandino was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday after he was hit on the right hand by a pitch in Friday's contest. Manager David Bell said that the infielder could miss 3-6 weeks, but it's encouraging that he won't need surgery.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Blandino was placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken right hand Saturday.
Blandino was hit by a pitch on his right hand in Friday's game against the Cardinals, and he'll now be sidelined after he was diagnosed with a broken hand. Mike Freeman could see a slight uptick in playing time while the 28-year-old is sidelined. Right-hander Ashton Goudeau was recalled from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Exits after HBP
Rotowire
Blandino left Friday's game against the Cardinals in the bottom of the fifth inning with an apparent hand injury, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Blandino was hit by a pitch on his hand to begin the fifth inning, and Mike Freeman took his place at first base in the bottom half of the frame. The severity of his injury isn't yet known.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Walks three times in win
Rotowire
Blandino went 0-for-2 with three walks, a stolen base and a run scored in Monday's 5-3 win over the Dodgers.
Blandino found ways to make an impact despite not being able to make any hard contact. The 2014 first-round pick reached base three times for the first time all year and was able to notch a steal for the first time in his young career. Blandino is slashing .318/.464/.455 with three extra-base hits, four RBI, five runs scored and a 5:6 BB:K over 15 games but could see his role diminish with Mike Moustakas (illness) set to return from the 10-day injured list in the coming days.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Activated from IL
Rotowire
Blandino (undisclosed) was activated from the injured list Tuesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Mike Moustakas (illness) was placed on the IL in a corresponding move. Blandino should serve as infield depth going forward.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Blandino was placed on the injured list for undisclosed reasons Saturday.
The Reds didn't specify whether Blandino landed on the 10-day injured list or the COVID-19 injured list, so it's unclear how long he'll be unavailable. Mark Payton was recalled in a corresponding move.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Pinch-hit single
Rotowire
Blandino had a pinch-hit single and came around to score in Friday's win over the Diamondbacks.
Blandino was on the fringe of the Reds' starting shortstop job battle before they moved Eugenio Suarez over from third to short. He's had pinch-hit appearances in all but one of the Reds' first seven games.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Competing for shortstop job
Rotowire
Blandino is also in the picture among those competing for the Reds' starting shortstop job, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
Blandino, who remained at the Reds' alternate training site in 2020, profiles as a utility infielder if he makes the team. The 28-year old from Stanford University hasn't hit for much power as a pro, but at least has a decent batting eye. It's revealing that the Reds never turned to him as an alternative last season despite getting so little production from their shortstops.
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Reds' Alex Blandino: Won't make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Blandino was optioned to the Reds' alternate training site Wednesday. C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
The 27-year-old was attempting to secure a spot on the roster in a utility role, but the Reds' offseason upgrades and current good health allows the team to put their priorities elsewhere. Blandino appeared in 23 games in the majors last season and had a .250/.420/.361 slash line in 50 plate appearances, and he could still make his way back to the big club at some point during the shortened season.
