Padres Avoid Arbitration With Kyle Blanks

The Padres announced that they have avoided arbitration with first baseman/outfielder Kyle Blanks to one-year contract. Blanks will be paid $605,000, according to a tweet by ESPN’s Jerry Cransnick.

Blanks, 26, missed of 2012 with a shoulder injury. Blanks should be in the mix for a bench job and could be possible trade bait. He could also spend some time in AAA working himself into game shape.

February 20, 2012; Peoria, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Kyle Blanks (88) during camp at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE

Blanks burst onto the scene in 2009, when hit 10 homers in just 148 at-bats. Blanks has always intrigued me, but he has had difficulty staying healthy. Blanks also has not received consistent playing time and barring injuries, he seems primed for the same issue in 2013.