Paul Blackburn is almost ready for a return to the majors, but the New York Mets may not have room for him.
Could a rare trade with their cross-town rivals be the answer?
Blackburn, who the Mets acquired from the Athletics just before the 2024 trade deadline, was competing for a spot in the team’s starting rotation during spring training, but he wound up on the injured list with right knee inflammation before opening day. The 31-year-old right-hander began a rehab assignment in mid-April, and in six starts covering 23.0 innings, he has posted a 3.91 ERA with 27 strikeouts.
In his most recent outing on Wednesday, Blackburn looked dominant for Triple-A Syracuse, giving up just one hit in seven scoreless innings while walking two and striking out six. Perhaps most importantly, Blackburn tossed 87 pitches in the contest, checking a significant box for team officials who are considering the next step for the veteran.
But there is no easy answer.
Paul Blackburn Nears Return But Mets Have No Room in Rotation
New York’s starting rotation of Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and David Peterson has been phenomenal this season. Historically good even, as the Mets recently became the first team in MLB history to boast five different players with a sub-3.15 ERA and 40-plus strikeouts through eight starts.
In addition, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, who were both expected to hold down starting spots before getting injured, are inching closer to a return. Having too many starting pitchers may be an enviable problem, but it’s a problem nonetheless.
Kerry Miller with Bleacher Report has a potential solution.
In an article Wednesday examining “The Most Likely Player to Be Traded for Every MLB Team in 2025,” Miller suggested that Blackburn is that player for the Mets, and not only because the team already has too many cooks in the kitchen. Considering that Blackburn’s contract calls for him to make just $4.05 million this season, Miller surmised that, with 82 major league starts under his belt, Blackburn checks a lot of boxes for teams seeking a veteran arm.
“That’s a price point that makes him an attractive back-of-the-rotation option for any team in need,” Miller wrote.
One such team might just be sitting a few miles away from Queens.
Trade Proposal Sends Paul Blackburn to Yankees for Prospect Cam Schlittler
After falling in the 2024 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees entered 2025 with aspirations of taking that final step. However, significant injuries to several starting pitchers have put that goal in jeopardy, leaving the Yankees in search of replacements.
Blackburn might just fit the bill. In fact, Miller, having tabbed Double-A pitcher Cam Schlittler as the Yankees’ player most likely to be dealt this season, sees a potential one-for-one swap in play.
“Perhaps a spot for a rare New York-New York trade, as Paul Blackburn wouldn’t be a bad option for a No. 5 starter in the Bronx?” Miller suggested.
Schlittler has looked solid for Somerset this season, going 3-4 in seven starts with a 2.47 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. The Yankees’ No. 10 prospect, Schlittler was named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2024, but the 24-year-old right-hander may not have a role in the team’s future, given the high upside of younger arms such as Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz.
“Cam Schlittler has become an intriguing trade chip,” Miller stated.
Mets-Yankees Trade Bet Flips Veteran Starter to Bronx