Kyle Blanks gets a new contract in his second year of salary arbitration.
The Padres and Kyle Blanks settled on a number just shy of the $1 million MLBTradeRumors.com predicted salary. Blanks will make $988,000 in 2014. He made $605,000 last year in his first arbitration eligible season last year. That deal last year came quite early as the team wanted to either sign him at a bargain or possible release or trade him to save money and a roster space. Blanks has battled injuries throughout his career, so the team is cautious about giving him a salary that his health can not justify.
This season will once again be an important year for Blanks. He will be due another raise this time next year and another injury plagued season could cause the team to finally balk and move on. A solid season would see more dollars come his way and more responsibility to justify them. With Jesus Guzman now an Astro, the onus is on Blanks to provide a RH bench bat the team can count on in 2014. The team needs him to be that and Blanks needs it as well.