NEW YORK -- More than nine months after his last big league appearance, Paul Blackburn is ready to return to a mound for the Mets.
Blackburn will start Monday’s series opener in Los Angeles, manager Carlos Mendoza said on Saturday, as the Mets insert a sixth man into their rotation for the fourth time this season. Every other starter will push back a game to get an extra day of rest.
That desire for extra rest created an opening for Blackburn, 31, one of the Mets’ most significant acquisitions at last year’s Trade Deadline. Upon coming over from the Athletics, Blackburn made five starts before being struck by a comebacker and landing on the injured list.
Thus began a nearly year-long slog of injuries, illness and rehab for Blackburn, who subsequently missed the rest of the 2024 season due to a spinal leak in his back. Although Blackburn entered Spring Training as a healthy player, he began experiencing right knee inflammation in late March and again hit the IL, where he remains. An illness further slowed his rehab, and the Mets took him along carefully as they targeted a date to reinsert him into their rotation.
His opportunity will finally come on Monday against the Dodgers.
“It feels good, obviously,” Blackburn said. “The last 10 months have been mentally a lot. But just being able to kind of get past that and get to where I am now … It’s been fun.”
Blackburn will most likely make just one spot start before settling into a long relief role, but injuries and other factors could always change that picture.
An eight-year veteran, Blackburn is 22-28 with a 4.85 ERA over 82 career starts and four relief appearances. He produced a 3.68 ERA over seven Minor League rehab starts.