Lázaro Blanco Matos (born February 23, 1986) is a Cuban

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Moder ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

who is a free agent. He has previously played for the

Alazanes de Granma Alazanes de Granma is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series, based in the eastern province of Granma. Until the 2016-2017 season, the Alazanes were a frequent contender, but had never advanced to a National Series final. However, in 2017 ...

of the

Cuban National Series The Cuban National Series (, or SNB) is a domestic baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the National Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. For most ...

. Blanco played for the

Cuba national baseball team The Cuba national baseball team () represents Cuba at regional and international levels. The team is generally made up of players from the domestic Cuban national baseball system, though it has at times included professional players who defect ...

at the

2015 Pan American Games The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...

and

2017 World Baseball Classic The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts wer ...

Career

Québec Capitales

Blanco signed with the

Québec Capitales The Québec Capitales ( French: Capitales de Québec and often referred to as the Caps) are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City. The Capitales compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the North Division in the Atlantic Confe ...

of the

Can-Am League The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional baseball league with teams in Eastern Canada and Northeastern United States. Founded in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio, the league was for ...

on May 20, 2017. He re-signed with the club for the 2018 season, and was later waived prior to the 2019 season. Blanco signed with the

Saraperos de Saltillo The Saraperos de Saltillo (English: Saltillo Serapes) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. Their home ballpark is the Estadio de Béisbol Francisco I. Madero in Saltillo, Coahuila. They have won three championships (1980, 2009 ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

for the 2020 season. Blanco did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. In 2021, Blanco pitched for the

at the 2020 Summer Olympics Americas Qualifier in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. Following the event, he was set to fly to Mexico to join the Saraperos de Saltillo, but missed his flight and announced that he would defect to the United States. On November 29, 2022, while playing for the

Estrellas Orientales Estrellas Orientales (English: Eastern Stars), also known as Estrellas de Oriente, is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1936, 1954, ...

in the

Dominican Winter League The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League ( or LIDOM) is a professional baseball Winter league baseball, winter league consisting of six teams spread across the Dominican Republic; it is the highest level of professional baseball played ...

, Blanco was struck in the face by a comebacker off the bat of

Gigantes del Cibao The Gigantes del Cibao (English language, English: Cibao Giants) are a baseball team that plays in the Dominican Winter League. The team was founded in 1996 as ''Gigantes del Noroeste ''then with a change of ownership the name was changed severa ...

hitter

Henry Urrutia Henry Alexander Urrutia Rodríguez ( ; born February 13, 1987) is a Cuban professional baseball designated hitter and left fielder for the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (ML ...

. Blanco suffered multiple facial fractures and was forced to miss the remainder of the season. He had posted an 0–1 record and 5.40 ERA across 5 appearances (3 of them starts).

Bravos de León

On January 20, 2023, Blanco signed with the

Bravos de León The Bravos de León (English: León Braves) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. History Cachorros de León (1979–80) Mexican League baseball in León began in 1979 when the Alijadore ...

of the

. He would go on to post a 1–3 record and 4.42 ERA across 14 appearances, all of which were starts. After the season, he signed with the Venados de Mazatlan of the

Mexican Pacific League The Mexican Pacific League (, or LMP), also known as the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons, is a professional baseball Winter league baseball, winter league based in Northwestern Mexico. The league comprises 10 teams. It wa ...

. He was released by the Venados on December 15, but quickly signed with the

Leones del Caracas The Caracas Base Ball Club C.A., better known by its commercial name as the Leones del Caracas, is a professional baseball team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVPB). The owner and sole shareholder of the sports club is Ricardo C ...

of the

Venezuelan Winter League The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (, or LVBP) is the top-level professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year. History Background and predecessors Baseball had been play ...

. On February 1, 2024, Blanco was released by León. However, on April 10, Blanco re–signed with the club. In nine appearances, he posted a 3–4 record with a 7.02 ERA and 29 strikeouts over 41 innings. On July 1, Blanco was waived by León.

El Águila de Veracruz

On July 5, 2024, Blanco was claimed off waivers by

El Águila de Veracruz El Águila de Veracruz (English: The Eagle of Veracruz) is a professional baseball team that plays in the Mexican League. Based in Veracruz, Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico, they play their home games at the Estadio Universitario Beto Ávila. Histor ...

of the

. In 5 games (3 starts) for the team, he posted a 2–1 record and 5.12 ERA with 14 strikeouts across innings pitched. On December 2, Blanco was released by Veracruz.

References

External links

1986 births Living people Baseball pitchers Alazanes de Granma players Cocodrilos de Matanzas players 2017 World Baseball Classic players Baseball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Pan American Games bronze medalists for Cuba Baseball players at the 2019 Pan American Games Baseball players at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games Central American and Caribbean Games silver medalists for Cuba Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in baseball Québec Capitales players Pan American Games bronze medalists in baseball Pan American Games baseball players for Cuba Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games Defecting Cuban baseball players Defectors to the United States People from Yara, Cuba Baseball players from Granma Province Bravos de León players El Águila de Veracruz players {{Cuba-baseball-pitcher-stub