The last two seasons have been a revolution in Joe Blanton's career. After 10 years of being a solid, albeit average, starting pitcher with eight of his 12 career seasons split between the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland Athletics, Blanton was facing retirement after struggling mightily from 2010 to 2013 and missing the 2014 season entirely.
However, the Kansas City Royals took a chance on Blanton in 2015 and put him in the bullpen, where he proved to be an asset. He really came into his own and revitalized his career after a midseason trade sent him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second half of 2015.