The Phillies have re-signed infielder Andres Blanco to a one-year, $3 million contract, according to Jim Salisbury.
Blanco, 32, has spent the last three years with the Phils and has been a solid contributor. Over those three seasons he’s hitting .274/.337/.457 with 12 home runs, 42 doubles and 49 runs batted in.
Known as “Whitey” by his teammates – who have looked to him as a veteran leader – Blanco will likely slot right back into the utility infielder spot in 2017. With that, he’ll have to be added to the 40-man roster, which currently is full.
The Phils recently signed fellow infielders Pedro Florimon and Hector Gomez to minor league contracts; the utility men were previously expected to compete with prospect Jesmuel Valentin for a bench spot.
Tim MalcolmTim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.
