New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (knee) was scheduled to throw a second live batting practice session on Tuesday as he rehabs from inflammation in his right knee, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The skipper said the goal is for Blackburn to build up to 65 to 70 pitches before he returns from the 15-day injured list. The 31-year-old veteran tossed his first live BP session last Friday and could be cleared to start a minor-league rehab assignment if he doesn't suffer a setback on Tuesday. Blackburn should be expected to need at least a couple rehab starts before rejoining the big-league roster. When he's activated, Blackburn won't be a lock for a starting rotation spot after struggling to a 5.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB in his five starts for the Mets to close out 2024. He won't be of much use in fantasy in a long-relief role.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (knee) will start the 2025 season on the 15-day injured list with right-knee inflammation, according to New York Daily News' Abbey Mastracco. The Mets acquired Blackburn from the Athletics in a trade last year, but he made only five starts in New York before being shut down with a back injury that required surgery. The 31-year-old veteran's back is fine, but now he's dealing with a knee injury and isn't ready for Opening Day. The good news is that he's expected to be back before the end of April, but Blackburn will likely be relegated to a long-relief role out of the bullpen, leaving him virtually zero fantasy appeal. Blackburn also dealt with foot and hand injuries in 2024 and made just 14 starts combined, going 5-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 59 strikeouts and 21 walks in 75 1/3 innings. He's off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back) threw to hitters for one inning in a live batting practice session at camp on Tuesday. "I feel like I'm in a good spot right now," Blackburn said. "Just excited to be here, just trying to go day by day, not try to do too much and just slowly progress into the start." The 31-year-old veteran's 2024 season ended early due to a spinal fluid leak that required surgery on Oct. 11, but he's back to throwing now and is working with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner to refine his sinker and sweeper in order to add more run to his sinker and more horizontal movement to his sweeper. Blackburn is competing for a rotation spot with Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning after being limited to 14 starts in 2024 due to injury. Because he's a bit behind in camp, both Megill and Canning figure to be ahead of Blackburn in the rotation competition.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back), who required surgery in October of last year to fix a leak around his spinal cord, is a little bit behind the rest of the team's pitching at the start of spring training, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Tim Britton. Blackburn will be competing primarily with Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill for the sixth and final spot in New York's starting rotation to begin the year. Canning and Blackburn have the advantage over Megill because they don't have any minor-league options remaining, but Blackburn's back injury could hurt his chances. The 31-year-old make only five starts for the Mets in the second half after they acquired him from the A's at the trade deadline, and he stumbled to a 5.18 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 24 1/3 innings. Blackburn has never thrown more than 111 1/3 innings in the big leagues and could be a piggyback option even if he wins a rotation spot.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back), who had surgery on Oct. 11 to fix a spinal fluid leak in his back, is on track to be healthy and ready to roll for Opening Day in 2025, according to president of baseball operations David Stearn. The front-office executive also said that the Mets view Blackburn as a starter, but he can also pitch out of the bullpen if needed. It sounds like the Mets could very easily use Blackburn in a swing role next year, especially after already adding right-handers Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes, the latter of which is expected to move from a relief to starting role in 2025. The 31-year-old began the year with the Athletics in 2024 before being acquired by the Mets in a trade at the deadline. The former first-rounder went a combined 5-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 59:21 K:BB in 75 1/3 frames over 14 starts. He'll only be relevant in fantasy in a starting role for the Mets.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back) is expected to miss four to five months after undergoing a cerebrospinal fluid leak repair on his back on Oct. 11, according to the team. While there's enough time for Blackburn to get ready before the start of the 2025 regular season, the Mets probably aren't going to rush him in spring training, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the veteran hurler isn't an option to begin the regular season in New York's starting rotation. The 30-year-old began 2024 with the Oakland Athletics before getting traded to the Big Apple in late July. He was slightly more effective in his nine starts with the A's before the trade, as he went 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA (4.69 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in his five starts over 24 1/3 innings with the Mets while missing time with multiple injuries.

The New York Mets moved right-hander Paul Blackburn (back) to the 60-day injured list on Saturday in order to activate right-hander Kodai Senga (calf, triceps) from the 10-day IL in order to start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets put Blackburn on the 10-day IL in late August due to a hand injury before he injured his back and was diagnosed with a spinal fluid leak. The 30-year-old veteran is now done for the rest of the year and won't be able to join the Mets in the postseason, even if they were to make an improbable run to the World Series. Blackburn began the year with the Oakland Athletics and made nine starts for them before being dealt to New York at the deadline. In his five starts with the Mets, Blackburn has inconsistent, posting a 5.18 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 21 K's and seven walks in his 24 1/3 innings.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back, hand) isn't feeling much better after being scratched from his scheduled start this week due to a new back injury, so he will not return from the injured list this weekend to pitch against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Right-hander Tylor Megill, who was lights-out in place of Blackburn on Monday against the Washington Nationals, will get at least another start and is in line to face the Phillies on Sunday. Megill won't be as nice of a streaming option if he faces the Phillies in the series finale on Sunday, but he could also get flipped to Monday in what would be a rematch of the Nats. Blackburn hasn't looked great since being acquired from the A's and hasn't pitched Aug. 23, when he took a comebacker off his hand. It's unclear at the moment how much longer Blackburn will be out as the Mets look to secure a playoff spot.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (back, hand) was originally expected to come off the 15-day injured list to start on Monday in Toronto against the Blue Jays, but those plans were scrapped due to a back issue, and Blackburn will not pitch in the series in Toronto this week. Right-hander Tylor Megill made the spot start on Monday and tossed six shutout innings with two walks and nine strikeouts in a tough-luck no-decision. The Mets will see if Blackburn improves in the next couple of days, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. A comebacker to his right pitching hand put the 30-year-old on the IL on Aug. 25, but now he could be in danger of missing the rest of the 2024 regular season if his back injury is serious enough. The Mets could definitely use Blackburn as they try to sneak into the National League playoffs as a wild-card team, although he's been pretty lackluster since joining the Mets via trade.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (hand), who was originally scheduled to come off the 15-day injured list to make the start on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, will no longer start, according to the team. Instead, right-hander Tylor Megill is the team's new probable starter. It's unclear if Blackburn has had a setback with his hand, but if he hasn't, the 30-year-old veteran could just be pushed back a day as a precaution. Blackburn suffered a right-hand bruise several weeks ago on a comebacker but is close to rejoining the Mets' starting rotation. Since coming over from the Oakland Athletics in a trade, Blackburn has been an unreliable fantasy streamer, going 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in 24 1/3 innings over his five starts. He'll be a shaky deep-league streamer if he rejoins the rotation this week in Toronto.

New York Mets starting pitcher Paul Blackburn (hand) is set to return from the 15-day injured list on Monday to face the Toronto Blue Jays. Blackburn hit the injured list on August 30 after suffering a right-hand contusion. Blackburn looked sharp in his lone rehab outing on September 3, where he logged six 2/3 innings of one-run ball while striking out four. Seeing how quickly the 30-year-old is set to return, fantasy managers should not expect him to face any serious innings limit on Monday. Blackburn could be worth keeping on your roster in deeper leagues, as he should remain in the Mets rotation during the final weeks of the season. This summer, Blackburn sits with a mediocre 4.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 21:59 BB:K ratio through 75 innings of work.

New York Mets starting pitcher Paul Blackburn (hand) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday afternoon with a right-hand contusion. In a corresponding move, the Mets promoted right-handed pitcher Huascar Brazoban from Triple-A Syracuse. The 30-year-old starting pitcher suffered the injury in his previous start on Friday evening, but his CT scan returned negative. However, Blackburn will sit out for at least the next 15 games. Brazoban made nine appearances at the major league level this summer and held a 3.76 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP with 44 punchouts across 40 frames of work. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to who claims the open spot in the rotation. Tylor Megill is a possible candidate to earn the call from Triple-A, as he has received several major league starts this summer.

The New York Mets say starting pitcher Paul Blackburn only has a bruise on his right hand after exiting Friday night's start against the hosting San Diego Padres at Petco Park, but he'll undergo further testing on Saturday. Other tests can pick up small fractures that traditional X-rays cannot, so it's important for the Mets to cover their bases on this one after Blackburn was struck by a David Peralta comebacker in the third inning of Friday's game against San Diego. Fantasy managers should deem the hurler day-to-day ahead of his next scheduled appearance, which tentatively lines up on Thursday on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 30-year-old right-hander has not fared well since landing in Queens, logging a 5.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, and 21:7 K:BB over 24 1/3 frames (five starts). Jose Butto would be an option to join New York's rotation if Blackburn needs to go on the injured list.

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn is set to face his old team, the Oakland Athletics, on Tuesday night, and he'll be pretty much a new pitcher when he does. Since being acquired from the A's at the trade deadline at the end of July, Blackburn has altered his pitch mix to emphasize his cutter and changeup at the expense of his four-seam fastball and curveball. In his two starts with the Mets while using the new plan against the Angels and Rockies, Blackburn had a 1.50 ERA over 12 innings with 12 strikeouts and four walks. The cutter is the 30-year-old's best pitch, so the Mets have basically encouraged him to use it more often. The Angels and Rockies are two of the weakest teams in baseball, and he'll get another bottom-feeder on Tuesday in the A's, making Blackburn a fine fantasy streamer in his third start for the Mets.

The New York Mets are finalizing a deal on Tuesday to acquire right-hander Paul Blackburn from the Oakland Athletics, according to sources. At this time, it's unclear what the Mets will send to the A's for Blackburn as they look for more starting pitching depth now that right-hander Kodai Senga (calf) is expected to miss the rest of the season. Blackburn doesn't carry a ton of fantasy appeal to begin with, but the move from one of the worst teams in baseball to a contender in the National League will have his arrow pointing up somewhat. The 30-year-old just returned from a stress fracture in his foot and has gone 4-2 in 2024 with a 4.41 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 38:14 K:BB in only nine starts covering 51 innings. He'll have a better offense backing him, but his fantasy ceiling is limited with a career 17.7% strikeout rate in eight big-league campaigns.UPDATE: The Mets sent the A's right-hander Kade Morris, who was considered by MLB Pipeline to be New York's No. 25 prospect.

Oakland Athletics right-hander Paul Blackburn (foot) will be activated from the 15-day injured list on Friday to start against the hosting division-rival Los Angeles Angels, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Blackburn hasn't pitched since May 10 after suffering a right-foot stress reaction, so although the matchup is a juicy one, fantasy managers should still have plenty of hesitation in streaming him. He had a 4.11 ERA in eight starts before suffering his foot injury earlier this year. Kotsay said that Blackburn will be on a pitch count around 65 to 70 pitches, which is another reason to avoid him in fantasy lineups on Friday. The 30-year-old veteran broke out in 2022 and was selected to his first All-Star game and he's developed into a solid starter since that point. His weak 17.8% career strikeout leaves a lot to be desired in fantasy, though, especially while pitching in Oakland.

Oakland Athletics right-hander Paul Blackburn (foot) appeared in relief again in his second minor-league rehab appearance for Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday and threw gave up no runs on one hit with a walk and a strikeout in just two-thirds of an inning. Blackburn also hit a batter while throwing 23 pitches. The 30-year-old didn't look good in less than an inning of work in his first rehab appearance last week for Single-A Stockton, either, so the A's will surely want to see more from him on his rehab assignment before reinstating him from the 15-day injured list in the second half of the season. Blackburn certainly needs to stretch his arm out more if he's going to rejoin the A's starting rotation. Before his foot injury, he went 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 36 K's and 13 walks over eight starts. He'll be a low-upside, deep-league streaming option when he's back in Oakland.

Oakland Athletics right-hander Ross Stripling (elbow) came away from his first minor-league rehab start with Single-A Stockton on Tuesday feeling healthy. His next rehab outing is expected to come with Stockton on Sunday. Right-hander Paul Blackburn (foot) also came away feeling healthy from his first rehab outing with Stockton on Tuesday, and his next appearance will also come with Stockton on Sunday. Stripling is recovering from a right elbow flexor strain, while Blackburn is rehabbing from a right foot stress reaction. Barring setbacks, both pitchers should rejoin Oakland's starting rotation later this month, although neither have much upside for fantasy managers with the lowly A's. Stripling gave up two runs in just two-thirds of an inning on Tuesday, while Blackburn also went just two-thirds of an inning and gave up three earned runs with Stockton.

Both right-handers Ross Stripling (elbow) and Paul Blackburn (foot) had uneven performances in their minor-league rehab appearances for Single-A Stockton on Tuesday night. Stripling started the game and gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out one in just two-thirds of an inning. Blackburn, meanwhile, came on in relief and also only went two-thirds of a frame, allowing three earned runs on two hits while walking two and fanning one. Both pitchers failed to even reach the 30-pitch mark. Stripling and Blackburn should advance up the minor-league ladder for their next rehab starts, but neither middling hurler will probably be ready to rejoin Oakland's rotation for the start of the second half of the season. Blackburn is probably the more attractive streaming option in deep fantasy leagues when healthy, but neither has much upside at all.

Oakland Athletics right-hander Paul Blackburn (foot), who landed on the injured list on May 13 with a right-foot stress reaction, threw a bullpen session at Chase Field on Saturday that simulated two innings. Blackburn's next step will be facing hitters in a live batting practice session on Wednesday, July 3. Fellow right-hander Ross Stripling (elbow) is on the same progression as the 30-year-old Blackburn, although Blackburn has been out slightly longer. He'll eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment as well, so it's likely that we won't see Blackburn in Oakland's starting rotation until the second half of the season. Before injuring his foot, he had gone 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 13 walks in 46 innings over his eight starts. Blackburn could be useful in deep fantasy leagues in the right matchups, but his career 17.8% K rate doesn't give him much upside.