NEW YORK — The Yankees made another under-the-radar move late Saturday night. It was not the blockbuster signing fans have been waiting for. It was not Cody Bellinger. It was not Japanese phenom Tatsuya Imai. It was Paul Blackburn, a 32-year-old right-hander who has spent more time on the injured list than on the mound in recent years.
The Yankees deal is worth $2 million guaranteed. Blackburn can earn an additional $500,000 in incentives if he reaches certain innings thresholds. The contract structure tells you everything you need to know about what the Yankees are buying here. They are betting on potential. They are rolling the dice on health.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post was first to report the signing. The Athletic confirmed the details shortly after.
The injury list reads like a medical textbook
Blackburn has dealt with a staggering number of ailments over the past few years. In 2022, an inflamed right middle finger ended his All-Star season early. In 2023, fingernail and blister issues delayed his debut until late May. In 2024, a stress reaction in his foot put him on the injured list. Then came the spinal fluid leak that required surgery in October 2024.
The 2025 campaign was no different. He started the year on the injured list with right knee inflammation. An illness delayed his season debut until June 3. After six appearances with a 7.71 ERA, he went back on the shelf with a right shoulder impingement. The Mets finally had enough. They designated him for assignment in mid-August and released him two days later. The Yankees claimed him.
His overall numbers for 2025 were ugly. He went 0-3 with a career-worst 6.23 ERA in 15 appearances. He threw just 39 innings across four starts and 11 relief outings.
A strong finish in the Bronx caught their attention
The Yankees picked up Blackburn off the scrap heap in late August. His debut was a disaster. He allowed seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of mop-up Yankees duty against the Boston Red Sox. Fans wondered why they even bothered.
Then something clicked. Over his final seven appearances, Blackburn posted a 1.50 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 12 innings. He held opponents to just two earned runs during that stretch. The Yankees’ pitching department had him throw his sinker and cutter more often, and the results showed in the contact quality metrics.
He even made the Yankees roster for the American League Wild Card Series and ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. His playoff outing was forgettable. He allowed four earned runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings of Game 1 relief. But the regular season finish was enough to earn another chance.
The Luke Weaver blueprint offers hope
The Yankees have pulled off this kind of reclamation project before. They signed Luke Weaver in similar fashion at the end of their disastrous 2023 season. He turned into a gem. Weaver was so good that he just signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets this offseason.
The Yankees hope is that Blackburn follows a similar path. The sample size from September is small. Just 12 innings. But the adjustments the team made to his pitch mix showed promise. His strikeout rate in September was 36.8 percent. That number would rank among the best in baseball if sustained over a full season.
Blackburn is 22-31 with a 4.97 career ERA over nine seasons. He made his lone All-Star team in 2022 with Oakland, going 6-2 with a 2.26 ERA through mid-June before injuries derailed him. The talent was there once. The question is whether he can find it again.
The rotation needs bodies early in 2026
The Yankees will be without two key starters to begin the 2026 season. Gerrit Cole is expected back in May or June after Tommy John surgery. Carlos Rodon is projected to return in late April or May following elbow surgery to remove loose bodies and shave a bone spur.
The projected Yankees Opening Day rotation features Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Ryan Yarbrough. Clarke Schmidt is also recovering from injury. That is not a lot of proven depth behind the top two spots.
Blackburn gives the Yankees flexibility. The contract incentives suggest the Yankees might build him up as a starter during spring training. He gets $100,000 each for reaching 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 innings. Those are starter-level workloads.
If he cannot crack the Yankees rotation, he can work as a swingman out of the bullpen. He showed he can give multiple innings of relief when needed. The 2025 bullpen ranked 23rd in MLB. Any additional length is welcome.
Yankees fans remain restless for a bigger splash
This signing will not calm the nerves of a fanbase growing impatient. The Yankees were eliminated in the ALDS by the Blue Jays. Every other team in the AL East has made significant moves this offseason. The Bronx Bombers have spent their winter bringing back the same players who fell short in October.
The Yankees accepted the qualifying offer from Trent Grisham. They picked up Tim Hill’s $3 million club option. They re-signed Amed Rosario for $2.5 million. They brought back Yarbrough for $2.5 million. Now Blackburn joins the list at $2 million.
Fans want Cody Bellinger, the switch-hitting outfielder who would add power and versatility to the lineup. The Yankees nation wants Tatsuya Imai, the Japanese right-hander projected to command $150 million or more. They want a statement. Instead, they get depth signings and returning players.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed the situation on Friday.
“I know we have a really good team right now. We have a lot of really good players on our roster,” Boone said. “It’s probably not finished. There’ll be tweaks, I’m sure, up until spring training. So whatever happens, our expectation is that we’re going to be really good.”
A low-risk bet that could pay off
At $2 million, the risk is minimal. If Blackburn stays healthy and pitches like he did in September, the Yankees get valuable rotation depth for pennies. If he breaks down again, they are only out a fraction of what they would have spent on a proven arm.
The former first-round pick out of Heritage High School in California has always had the stuff. His 2022 All-Star first half proved that. The injuries have been the only thing holding him back. At 32, his window is closing. This might be his last chance to prove he can stay on the field.
The Yankees are betting that 12 good innings in September can become something more. It is the kind of move that will not change the outlook for 2026. But if everything breaks right, it could turn out to be one of the smarter signings of the offseason.
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