The Seattle Mariners claimed Travis Blankenhorn off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and optioned him to Triple-A Tacoma. He was designated for assignment over the weekend when the Dodgers selected the contract of Nate Jones.
It’s been a busy month for Blankenhorn, who was DFA’d by the Minnesota Twins and later claimed by the Dodgers on May 14. He appeared in one game for the Twins this season (and one last year) before being released.
Blankenhorn made just four plate appearances in those two career games for Minnesota, collecting a double. He was selected by the Twins in the third round (80th overall pick) of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Prior to making the roster move that led to Blankenhorn joining the Mariners, the Dodgers assigned him to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Blankenhorn appeared in three games for OKC, going hitless with two strikeouts in three at-bats.
He’s a career .256/.324/.429 batter with 88 doubles, 24 triples, 56 home runs and 245 RBI in 468 games over parts of six Minor League seasons.
Jones enjoying Dodgers organization
After being released by the Atlanta Braves, Jones had interest from multiple teams before deciding to sign a Minor League contract with the Dodgers. The right-hander first reported to Oklahoma City, where he continued to work on developing a four-seam fastball.
Jones joined the Dodgers this past Saturday after a whirlwind of traveling. “It started in the morning, about 8:30 or so. I was getting a call saying I was getting called up,” he said.
“We had a game the night before down there in Albuquerque, so I was sleeping at the time. They’re like, ‘Well, you better get up and pay attention to what I’m saying right now.’ So after that it was kind of chaos. Just grabbing everything I needed, all my equipment and clothes, and getting on an airplane. Obviously getting here just a couple hours before the game, trying to meet everybody.
“Sitting here rubbing elbows with Clayton Kershaw and Albert Pujols, and good ole Kentucky boy Walker, and David Price out in the bullpen, Kenley. It was unreal. The communication was great, they prepared me that I could be in a big situation in the seventh or eighth, which was huge so I could mentally be ready for that. It was surreal, that’s for sure.”
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