CBS Sports' Danny Knobler is reporting that the Baltimore Orioles are interested in the Phillies' Joe Blanton:
After a good first month, Orioles starters are back near the bottom, with a combined 4.70 ERA that ranks 25th in baseball. Even with the slumping rotation, the Orioles have managed to stay in second place in the American League East. While they're far behind the first-place Yankees, they're just two games out in the wild-card race.
I'm sure the Phillies would get only a low-level, marginal prospect for Blanton. But, it would help the Phillies dump some money and allow them to give someone like minor leaguer Tyler Cloyd a chance to pitch with the big club.
Blanton is 8-9 with a 4.58 ERA, which is not much lower than that Orioles' ERA, but Blanton has pitched six innings in each of his last 10 starts, as Knobler notes.
The Orioles just may be the Phillies' best chance to open up some payroll and some space on the roster.
UPDATE: Phillies reporter for MLB.com Todd Zolecki adds,
I think the Phillies are realistic enough to know they’re not going to get a top prospect for Blanton, who becomes a free agent after the season, but a quality relief pitcher or a solid utility infielder would be attractive to them. A filler in Double-A or Triple-A doesn’t make much sense, unless moving Blanton’s salary helps them dip below the luxury tax.
