José Quijada joins Trash Pandas pitching staff, Travis Blankenhorn placed on IL

MADISON, Ala. – On Saturday, the Los Angeles Angels announced two roster moves that impacted the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Veteran left-handed reliever José Quijada was reinstated from the Triple-A Salt Lake Development List and transferred to Rocket City. Additionally, outfielder Travis Blankenhorn has been placed on the 7-day Injured List.

Quijada, 29 (pronounced kee-HAH-dah), has not appeared in a regular season game this year but made eight appearances during Spring Training, with his last outing occurring on March 24 against the Dodgers. He struggled with a 13.50 ERA in the spring, allowing 11 earned runs in 7.1 innings, while walking five and striking out six. Over his four-plus years of MLB service, he holds a career 4.64 ERA in 140 relief appearances for both the Marlins and the Angels, with 172 strikeouts compared to 84 walks over 128.0 innings pitched.

The Caripito, Venezuela native was claimed off waivers by the Angels on February 10, 2020, after being designated for assignment by the Marlins on February 3, 2020. He has since served as a bullpen arm for the Halos. In 2022, Quijada made 42 appearances, posting a 3.98 ERA with 52 strikeouts and three saves over 40.2 innings. His 2023 season was cut short due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. After recovering, he returned in 2024, not allowing a run in 17 of 22 outings for the Angels, including a streak of 12 consecutive scoreless appearances (11.0 innings) between August 14 and September 18, during which he allowed just three hits and struck out 16. In March 2025, Quijada was designated for assignment again and subsequently outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Quijada's career began as a member of the Miami Marlins organization. He progressed through the system and became a Southern League All-Star for Jacksonville in 2018. He appeared in 24 games for the Jumbo Shrimp in 2017 and 2018, making his MLB debut on April 24, 2019. With Miami, he appeared in 34 games and recorded a 2-3 win-loss record with a 5.76 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 29.2 innings.

Blankenhorn, 28, last played for the Trash Pandas on April 29 in Knoxville. In 17 games, the veteran outfielder is batting .145, with four doubles and three RBI.

The Angels signed Blankenhorn as a free agent on March 6. He has also played at the major league level with the Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals, making 100 plate appearances over five seasons.

The Trash Pandas will try to get back into the win column on Saturday when they take on the Biscuits in game five of a six-game series at Toyota Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm, with Rocket City right-hander George Klassen (0-2, 4.35 ERA) starting against Montgomery right-hander Brady Hopkins (2-1, 4.45). Fans can watch the game on WAAY MORE 31.6, Bally Live, and MiLB.tv, or listen on ESPN 97.7 HD-2 and trashpandasbaseball.com.

Saturday’s Promotions:

• Postgame Fireworks: After Saturday's game, fireworks powered by Astrion will light up the night sky over Toyota Field.
• Princess Night: Join us for our annual Princess Night, which features guest appearances from Belle, Ariel, and Princess Merida! We have a special ticket package available HERE, which includes a shimmering wand and access to the pregame on-field princess parade!

Tickets are available starting at just $8 for general admission and $16 for field-level seats. They can be purchased online at tptix.com. Fans can also purchase tickets in person during regular business hours at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office or by calling 256-325-1403, option 1. Fans can book their group outings for the 2025 season by visiting trashpandasgroups.com or by calling the group sales department directly at (256) 325-1403, option 2. 20-game mini-plans are also available at tptix.com.