Paul Blackburn

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Will enter rotation

  Rotowire Jun 13, 2025

  Blackburn will step into the rotation and start Wednesday's game against Atlanta in place of Kodai Senga (hamstring), Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Kodai Senga was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday, opening a spot in the rotation for Blackburn on Wednesday with the potential for a handful of starts, depending on when Frankie Montas (lat) is ready to go. After a lengthy IL stint to start 2025, Blackburn has pitched nine innings in his two MLB appearances, allowing three runs on 10 hits and two walks with six strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches in his most recent outing.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Notches four-inning save

  Rotowire Jun 9, 2025

  Blackburn gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk over four innings Sunday to record his first career save in a rout of the Rockies. The veteran righty took the mound to begin the sixth inning with the Mets ahead 7-2, and they only extended their lead from there. Blackburn tossed 71 pitches (47 strikes) in his second appearance of the season, which will likely leave him unavailable for long-relief duties during a three-game set against the Nationals to begin the current week.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Impressive in season debut

  Rotowire Jun 3, 2025

  Blackburn pitched five scoreless innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers on Monday, allowing three hits and issuing one walk while striking out three batters. Blackburn was activated from the injured list Monday afternoon after missing over two months to begin the campaign due to a knee injury. The veteran right-hander faced a tough task on the road against one of the league's top offenses, but he shined with five scoreless frames during which he didn't allow any extra-base hits. Blackburn was in line for the win upon his departure, but the game ended up going to an extra frame after Edwin Diaz blew a save chance in the ninth frame. Blackburn was able to toss 77 pitches (49 strikes) in his season debut, so his limitations weren't major despite the extended time off. He's lined up to face the Rockies in Colorado in his next start.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Reinstated from 15-day IL

  Rotowire Jun 2, 2025

  The Mets activated Blackburn (knee) from the 15-day injured list Monday. Blackburn is set to start Monday's game against the Dodgers in what will be his season debut for the Mets after he recovered from right knee inflammation. The veteran right-hander will be part of a six-man rotation for at least this week.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Joining rotation Monday

  Rotowire May 31, 2025

  Blackburn (knee) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list to start Monday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports. Blackburn has been on the shelf all season while recovering from right knee inflammation, but he appears to be healthy again after completing a lengthy rehab assignment. He was especially effective over his most recent two outings at Triple-A Syracuse, covering 13.1 innings between those starts while striking out 10 and allowing two earned runs on five hits and four walks. The Mets will expand their rotation to six men to make room for Blackburn, but neither manager Carlos Mendoza nor president of baseball operations Davi Stearns were willing to say whether the six-man setup would continue beyond this week, per Garrett Stepien of SNY.tv. With that in mind, how Blackburn performs in a tough road matchup with the Dodgers could go a long way in determining whether he'll be in store for additional starts.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Targeting June 3 season debut

  Rotowire May 26, 2025

  Blackburn (knee) is expected to make one more rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse before making his season debut for the Mets the following Monday against the Dodgers, Tim Britton of the Athletic reports. The 31-year-old right-hander has been sharp over three starts for Syracuse, posting a 2.63 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 13:6 K:BB through 13.2 innings, but the Mets have delayed activating Blackburn from the IL until they had a need in the rotation. That need arrives this weekend, when the team plays 10 straight games without an off day beginning May 30. It's not clear if New York will stick with a six-man rotation after that stretch, or if Blackburn will then shift into a long relief role.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Needs two more rehab starts

  Rotowire May 15, 2025

  Blackburn (knee) is expected to make two more rehab starts before being activated from the 15-day injured list, Joe Pantorno of AMNY.com reports. Blackburn reached 60 pitches in his last rehab outing with Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday and is aiming for the 75-pitch mark Friday with Double-A Binghamton. He's expected to make an additional rehab start after that. There doesn't appear to currently be room for Blackburn in the Mets' rotation, so he could be slotted into long relief when he's activated later this month. Blackburn has been out all season with right knee inflammation.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Next rehab start set

  Rotowire May 9, 2025

  Blackburn (knee) will continue his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Syracuse, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports. Blackburn was scratched from his second rehab start in late April due to an illness, but he's since made two appearances in the minors. The right-hander allowed a run on three hits with a 5:1 K:BB over 3.2 frames in his last outing with Syracuse, and he'll continue building up his workload Sunday. Blackburn was unable to earn a rotation spot during spring training and was poised to begin the campaign in a relief role before the knee inflammation surfaced, so a spot in the bullpen likely awaits once he's cleared to be reinstated.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Goes on IL with knee injury

  Rotowire Mar 26, 2025

  Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Wednesday that Blackburn will be placed on the 15-day injured list due to right knee inflammation, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Blackburn's surgically repaired back held up fine this spring, but he'll be shelved to begin the season with a different injury. The right-hander will be shut down for 7-to-10 days but is expected back before the end of April. Blackburn had been slated for a long-relief role before the injury.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Still in rotation mix

  Rotowire Mar 8, 2025

  Blackburn gave up three runs on five hits and two walks over 2.1 innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals. He failed to strike out a batter. While his final line was sketchy, Blackburn blanked the Nats through two innings before running out of gas in the third and serving up homers to CJ Abrams and James Wood. The right-hander appears to be on the outside looking in for a spot on the Opening Day rotation even with Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) sidelined to begin the season, but with the Mets planning to deploy a six-man rotation somewhat liberally in 2025, Blackburn should get starting opportunities over the summer.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Bumpy outing Sunday

  Rotowire Mar 3, 2025

  Blackburn gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks over 1.1 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. He failed to strike out a batter. After tossing a scoreless inning in his spring debut last week, Blackburn ran into trouble against a Boston lineup that featured most of its likely Opening Day starters. The 31-year-old right-hander is competing in camp for a spot at the back of the Mets' injury-plagued rotation, but Blackburn will need better performances than this to climb over Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning on the depth chart.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Cleared for spring debut

  Rotowire Feb 26, 2025

  Blackburn (back) is scheduled to start Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Blackburn will most likely be limited to one or two innings in his spring debut as he attempts to make his case for a spot in the Mets' Opening Day rotation. With Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) both expected to begin the season on the injured list, the Mets should have at least two spots available at the back of the rotation for Blackburn, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning. All three could end up breaking camp in starting roles if the Mets opt to go with a six-man rotation, something that president of baseball operations David Stearns said over the winter that he was expecting the team to implement in 2025.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Throwing to hitters

  Rotowire Feb 20, 2025

  Blackburn (back) threw one inning of live batting practice Tuesday, Andrew Tredinnick of NorthJersey.com reports. Blackburn worked with the Mets this offseason to refine his sinker and sweeper with the goal of adding more run to his sinker and more horizontal movement to his sweeper to make it less of a slurve. He got off to a rough start with the Mets after getting traded from the A's last season, including a hand contusion and a spinal fluid leak in mid-September that ended his season. He had surgery Oct. 11 that came with a three-to-five month estimated recovery, and we'll be at five months in mid-March. Blackburn is understandably a little behind the likes of Tylor Megill, who is reportedly furthest along of Blackburn and Griffin Canning, all of whom are competing for the final two spots in the Mets' six-man rotation.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Slightly behind competition

  Rotowire Feb 15, 2025

  Blackburn (back) is a little behind the Mets' other rotation options at the start of spring training, Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic report. This is no real surprise, as Blackburn underwent spinal surgery in October. The 31-year-old right-hander made only five starts for the Mets in 2024 after being acquired from the A's, stumbling to a 5.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB in 24.1 innings, and he's never thrown more than 111.1 innings in a big-league season. If he demonstrates he's fully recovered from the surgery and back to his pre-injury form, Blackburn should compete for the No. 6 starter role alongside Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Avoids arbitration

  Rotowire Jan 9, 2025

  The Mets and Blackburn (back) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract Thursday. Blackburn was eligible for arbitration for the third and final time. The veteran right-hander is recovering from back surgery but is expected to be ready for Opening Day. However, it appears unlikely at this juncture that there will be room for him in the Mets' rotation.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Moved to 60-day IL

  Rotowire Oct 5, 2024

  Blackburn (back) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday, per MLB's transaction log. Blackburn was placed on the 15-day injured list in late August due to a hand injury. He subsequently suffered a back issue and was diagnosed with a spinal fluid leak in mid-September. Blackburn's move to the 60-day IL officially ends his 2024 season. The transaction also clears way on the Mets' 40-man roster for Kodai Senga, who was activated from the 60-day IL in a corresponding move and is set to start Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Hopes to return next week

  Rotowire Sep 18, 2024

  Blackburn (back) will play catch Wednesday and hopes to return from the 15-day injured list as soon as the middle of next week, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. Blackburn is dealing with a spinal fluid leak but is feeling better after being given about 10 platelet-rich plasma injections. The right-hander hasn't pitched in two weeks, and the layoff, combined with how well the members of New York's rotation are currently pitching, means that Blackburn would likely return as a reliever once he's activated.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Diagnosed with spinal fluid leak

  Rotowire Sep 14, 2024

  President of baseball operations David Stearns said Saturday that Blackburn has a spinal fluid leak in his back, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports. The Mets aren't sure exactly how Blackburn suffered the injury, but the team is shutting him down for the time being. Stearns noted that the right-hander's injury isn't expected to be a long-term issue, though there's no telling how long he will be held out.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: Out through this weekend

  Rotowire Sep 10, 2024

  Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that Blackburn (hand/back) isn't feeling much better and won't be activated from the 15-day injured list to pitch against the Phillies this weekend, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. The 30-year-old was scheduled to start Monday against the Blue Jays after missing a couple weeks due to a bruised hand, but he ended up being scratched due to back discomfort. It's unclear when Blackburn will be able to return from the IL at this point, but he'll be sidelined for at least another week.

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• Mets' Paul Blackburn: No longer starting Monday

  Rotowire Sep 9, 2024

  Blackburn (hand) is no longer in line to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Monday's game in Toronto, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. The Mets will give a spot start to Tylor Megill instead. Blackburn could be pushed back a day to start Tuesday in Toronto, though the team has not yet confirmed as much. He has missed the last two weeks with a right hand bruise but tossed 6.2 innings of one-run ball in a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse last week.

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