Paul Blackburn’s return to the mound was more than a comeback. It was a statement.
After 13 months of setbacks including a stress reaction in his foot, a cerebrospinal fluid leak, knee inflammation, and the flu, Blackburn finally stepped back onto a Major League mound. And he did it in style, shutting out the Dodgers over five innings in the Mets’ 4–3, 10-inning win on Monday night.
“There was a lot of uncertainty,” Blackburn admitted. “Just being able to step foot on a big league mound again and enjoy the game, there is nothing better than that.”
Blackburn’s first start since August was impressive. He struck out Shohei Ohtani twice and escaped a fifth-inning jam with the tying runs on base. His performance kept the Mets ahead after Francisco Lindor’s leadoff homer, though the game eventually went to extras after a blown save by Edwin Díaz. Francisco Alvarez delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the 10th, and Lindor added an insurance run with a single.
“It was amazing,” Lindor said. “I was happy for him. He has been grinding just as much as anybody.”
That grind included refining his entire pitch mix during rehab. Blackburn widened his grip on the sinker to create a splitter-like effect, tweaked his curveball and changeup for more depth, and replaced his four-seamer with a cutter. By the time he reached Dodger Stadium, he had a new arsenal and a sharp command of it.
“We just tried to maximize the movement on all the pitches,” said pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.
Despite his strong outing, Blackburn is likely headed to the bullpen due to a crowded rotation. But after striking out Ohtani twice and keeping the Dodgers scoreless, he has clearly put himself back in the conversation.
“When he is locating his pitches the way that he did today,” Alvarez said, “he is always going to have success.”
Photo: Harry How/Getty Images
