NEW YORK — The New York Yankees signed Paul Blackburn on August 21, 2025, just five days after the crosstown Mets designated the injury-prone right-hander for assignment, adding veteran depth to a bullpen decimated by long-term injuries. The move represents a calculated gamble on a pitcher who has battled multiple injuries in 2025 but offers the Yankees something they desperately need: a reliever capable of eating innings in high-leverage situations during their postseason push.
The Yankees have signed RHP Paul Blackburn to a major league contract, the team announced.
Blackburn’s journey from Queens to the Bronx began Saturday, August 16, when the Mets designated him for assignment to make room for pitching prospect Nolan McLean’s MLB debut. After clearing waivers, Blackburn was officially released Tuesday, August 19, with the Mets remaining responsible for the majority of his $4.05 million salary. The Yankees swooped in two days later, signing him to a major league contract and immediately adding him to their active roster.
A season marred by persistent health problems
AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Blackburn’s 2025 campaign has been a medical odyssey that would test any pitcher’s resolve. He began the season on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation, missing Opening Day after receiving an injection to reduce swelling. The 30-year-old didn’t make his season debut until June 2, when he ironically faced the Dodgers and struck out Shohei Ohtani twice in an impressive five-scoreless-inning performance.
Just as Blackburn appeared to find his footing, another injury setback struck in early July when he was placed on the IL with right shoulder impingement. The shoulder issue sidelined him until August 13, when he returned with five effective innings of relief against Atlanta, allowing just two earned runs. Three days later, the Mets cut ties entirely.
The injuries represent a continuation of Blackburn’s recent medical history, which includes cerebrospinal fluid leak surgery in October 2024 that ruled him out for four to five months. His 2025 statistics reflect the stop-and-start nature of his season: 0-3 with one save and a bloated 6.85 ERA across 23.2 innings with the Mets, allowing 31 hits and 18 earned runs while striking out 18 batters.
Yankees address critical bullpen need
Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn’t mince words about why the team pursued Blackburn despite his injury concerns and poor 2025 numbers.
“Our ‘pen right now is not filled with a lot of guys that give us a lot of length,” Boone explained. “Obviously he has a track record of success in the big leagues. He’s a guy that’s built up and gives us some coverage if we get in a situation where we need real length.”
"Some depth, some length. Our 'pen right now is not filled with a lot of guys that give us a lot of length."
Aaron Boone talks about what Paul Blackburn's role will be out of the Mets' bullpen: pic.twitter.com/kl8kIWJOGp
The Yankees’ bullpen depth has been severely compromised since June, when key relievers Fernando Cruz and Ryan Yarbrough landed on the injured list with oblique strains. Cruz has been sidelined since June 30 with a “high grade” left oblique strain, while Yarbrough has been out since June 22 with a right oblique strain. Both began rehab assignments on August 14, but their returns remain uncertain, with Cruz struggling in his first rehab appearance.
To make room for Blackburn, the Yankees optioned right-hander Allan Winans to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Winans had posted an 8.68 ERA in limited action after being claimed off waivers from Atlanta earlier this season.
Travel troubles delay Yankees debut
Blackburn’s path to pinstripes proved as circuitous as his career trajectory. Originally scheduled to join the Yankees on Wednesday for their series in Tampa Bay, the right-hander encountered extensive flight delays while traveling from his Idaho home.
“Yesterday I spent pretty much all day in the airport with delays and cancellations and everything,” Blackburn said, describing more than three hours stranded at the Amarillo, Texas airport due to weather-related issues.
The travel snafu forced Blackburn to rebook flights and take a rerouted journey to New York, finally arriving Thursday afternoon.
“It was a most circuitous method of moving from Queens to the Bronx,” Blackburn quipped about his unusual crosstown transition.
From Oakland cornerstone to Yankees depth piece
Before his turbulent 2025 season, Blackburn represented stability and durability for the Oakland Athletics, where he spent eight seasons and earned 2022 All-Star honors as the franchise’s lone representative. The A’s traded him to the Mets at the 2024 deadline for prospect Kade Morris, ending Blackburn’s tenure as Oakland’s longest-tenured player.
His pre-trade performance with Oakland in 2024 showed promise, posting a 4-2 record with a 4.41 ERA across nine starts and setting a franchise record with 22.1 scoreless innings to begin the season. However, his transition to the Mets proved challenging, hampered by the injuries that have defined his 2025 campaign.
Opportunity and risk for postseason stretch
The Yankees’ acquisition of Blackburn represents both opportunity and risk as they prepare for the postseason stretch. While his 2025 numbers are concerning and his injury history raises red flags, Blackburn provides something invaluable to a Yankees bullpen lacking length and depth: veteran experience and the ability to absorb multiple innings when needed. For a team that has struggled to find reliable bullpen pieces despite deadline acquisitions, Blackburn’s track record of success—including his All-Star pedigree—offers hope that a change of scenery might revitalize a pitcher whose talent has been obscured by an injury-plagued season.
“It was tough, but I think it’s a good place to start over,” Blackburn reflected on joining the Yankees. “I’ll just try to contribute any way I can here for the rest of this year.”
In a season defined by setbacks, the move to the Bronx represents perhaps his best chance at redemption.
