New York Mets Starter Paul Blackburn Slated to Pitch Against Oakland A's

Former A's pitcher and All-Star, Paul Blackburn, set to face his former team tomorrow in New York.

Aug 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Blackburn, the Oakland A's 2022 All-Star, is slated to pitch against his former team tomorrow, two weeks after being traded to the New York Mets.

The A's traded Blackburn to the Mets two hours before the deadline and acquired minor-league pitcher Kade Morris. Blackburn had been the longest tenured Oakland A before the deal, which is now held by current A's outfielder/first baseman Seth Brown.

The announcment that Blackburn was dealt to the Mets came as a shock to some. It was assumed the A's would hold on to their starting pitching, as it is one of their biggest weaknesses. That was obviously not the case and the A's traded their Bay Area native All-Star 2,900 miles east to New York.

Since joining the Mets, Blackburn has exceeded all expectations. In two starts, pitching 12 innings, Blackburn has posted a 1.50 ERA with 12 strikeouts and a 1.250 WHIP. For comparison Blackburn started nine games for the A's this season, pitching 51 innings, striking out 38 batters with a 1.157 WHIP. It is a limited sample size, but the past two starts with the Mets are the best Blackburn has looked since August of 2023, and the second of the two outings was in Colorado.

The A's have been red hot since the start of the second half of the season. They are currently tied with the playoff contending Kansas City Royals for the best record in the AL since the All-Star break. The A's had the best offense in July, a unit led by Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler, which propelled them to their first winning month in two years. So far in August, the offense has not been what is was in the previous month, but the A's still hold a 5-4 record despite the drop-off in production.

The A's will look to feed off of their series win in Toronto and get the bats back on track versus the Mets. Blackburn has his sights on locking down the A's offense and securing his first win pitching in Citi Field while dawning the orange and blue.