The New York Yankees added pitching depth late Saturday night, agreeing to a one-year, $2 million deal with right-hander Paul Blackburn, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Blackburn, 32, spent the early portion of last season with the New York Mets before being designated for assignment and released in mid-August. Shortly after, he signed with the Yankees and finished the year in pinstripes, primarily working out of the bullpen. In eight appearances with New York, Blackburn logged a 5.28 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP while striking out 16 batters and issuing four walks over 15.1 innings.
While his overall numbers were uneven, they were heavily skewed by a rough first outing. In his Yankees debut against the Boston Red Sox, Blackburn was tagged for seven runs in just 3.1 innings. After that performance, the veteran right-hander settled in and showed far more consistency. Over his final seven appearances, he allowed only three runs—two of them earned—across 12 innings, while posting a strong 14-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
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Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].