The A's designated Blanks for assignment Friday. A trade acquisition from the Padres in mid-May, Blanks hit .309/.409/.436 with two homers in 26 games with the A's before a bout of Achilles tendinitis derailed his season. With the team needing to clear room for several players following the Josh Donaldson trade to Toronto, Blanks and pitcher Josh Lindblom were both bumped from the 40-man roster, but the right-handed-swinging Blanks may very well get a chance to compete for a short-end platoon role with another club.