When it comes to pitching, top-end talent is crucial. So, too, is depth. The ability to find pitchers to “eat innings” — entering in lower-leverage situations or filling in the back end of rotations and pitching competitively — can help reduce wear on the rest of the staff. Sometimes, those supposed innings eaters end up transcending the moniker, ascending to a higher-leverage role with more prominence and consequence.
After parts of eight seasons with the Athletics, Paul Blackburn was dealt to the Mets at the 2024 Trade Deadline. His career had been marked by flashes of talent — headlined by a strong rookie campaign at the age of 23 when he posted a 3.22 ERA in 10 starts — but waylaid repeatedly by injury. The move to Queens gave the veteran an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to contribute to a competitor. Instead, in a little over a calendar year, he struggled mightily, allowing 35 runs in 48 innings and 11.6 hits per nine. The Mets cut their losses last August; that’s when he moved across town.
2025 Stats (with Mets and Yankees): 39 IP, 6.23 ERA, 4.39 FIP, 1.51 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 1.4 HR/9, 0.2 fWAR
2026 ZiPS Projections: 81.2 IP, 4.96 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 1.40 WHIP, 7.1 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 1.3 HR/9, 0.8 fWAR
Blackburn caught on with the Yankees shortly after the Mets released him. His new team was in dire need of a warm body in their bullpen amidst a rash of injuries. The right-hander’s first appearance in pinstripes was a disaster, a seven-run implosion to spare the rest of the relief corps that raised his season ERA above 8.00. From that point onwards, though, Blackburn was a pleasant surprise for the Bombers, allowing just two more earned runs in 12 innings across seven appearances. He was used mostly in blowouts, finishing off five Yankees victories out of the ‘pen.
This late-season surge and ability to throw multiple innings made him a somewhat surprising addition to the team’s playoff roster. He made one appearance against Toronto in the ALDS, allowing four runs in 1.1 innings to exacerbate what was already a Game 1 blowout.
A free agent after the season, Blackburn was re-signed by the Yankees in mid-January to a one-year, $2 million deal. With the team expected to begin the season without starters Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt, and Carlos Rodón and having lost back-end relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency, the 32-year-old provides some depth at a low price. The big question is where he is likely to be used. His new contract could offer a clue. Blackburn’s deal has incentives built in that would award him a $100,000 bonus if he reaches 80 innings and another $100,000 for each additional 10 innings he pitches up to 120. Only five pitchers threw at least 80 innings in relief last season in all of baseball, with only one reaching 90, meaning he would realistically need an extended opportunity as a starter to reach any of those inning plateaus.
Conversely, Blackburn’s early Yankees trajectory bears an intriguing similarity to a recent success story. Weaver joined New York in September of 2023, making three appearances down the stretch. When he re-signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract the following season, however, the former starter was moved to the bullpen full-time where he excelled, emerging as the Yankees’ closer during their 2024 pennant run.
Does Blackburn’s stuff project to the bullpen? After featuring his cutter as a primary pitch during much of his time with the Mets, the right-hander reverted to using his sinker more late last season. He employed it particularly often against his fellow righties, though they hit .333 against the pitch. Against lefties, his top pitch remained the cutter, though lefties hit .417 against it. Across the board, Blackburn’s breaking pitches were more effective, with opponents batting .250 against his sweeper and curveball.
ZiPS projects Blackburn to appear in 21 games, 15 of them starts, in what amounts to a swingman role (though that would presently appear to be filled by Ryan Yarbrough). And, while they expect some positive regression from his dreadful 6.23 ERA last year, the projection tool still has him pushing a 5.00 ERA. Realistically, re-signing Blackburn is a low-risk, low-reward play for the Yankees. Whether in the rotation or the bullpen, the veteran should get some opportunities early to show what he can contribute as the team works around injuries to several starters and a bullpen in flux.
See more of the Yankees Previews series here.