Paul Blackburn Undergoes Spinal Procedure

The Mets announced Tuesday that right-hander Paul Blackburn underwent a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak repair procedure on October 11. The typical timeframe to return to play from a procedure of this nature is four to five months, per the club.

A timetable of four to five months would put Blackburn on track to be ready early or midway through spring training, assuming all goes according to plan with his rehab. That said, it’s a notable enough procedure that it calls into question whether that spring opportunity will come with the Mets or another club. Blackburn is eligible for arbitration this winter and projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a $4.4MM salary for the 2025 campaign — his last one before free agency. That’s a reasonable enough price to pay for a fourth/fifth starter of Blackburn’s caliber, but the Mets are also expected to carry a weighty luxury tax bill. If they again return to the top penalty bracket, Blackburn could wind up costing them more like $9.25MM, given the team’s tax status.

Blackburn might’ve been a non-tender candidate anyhow and unfortunately now seems likelier to fall into that category. If nothing else, the Mets could explore the possibility of trading him to a team in need of back-of-the-rotation depth, though his murky health status would surely prove a sticking point in any such negotiations.

The Mets acquired Blackburn, 31 next month, prior to the trade deadline in a deal sending minor league righty Kade Morris (whom they’d selected in the third round of the 2023 draft) back to the A’s. He only made five starts with the Mets, however, three of them with excellent results (six innings, two or one earned run allowed) and two with disastrous results (combined 11 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings). On the whole, he pitched 24 1/3 innings with a 5.18 ERA during his time with the Mets. Blackburn was placed on the injured list in late August after taking a comebacker off his wrist. Prior to the postseason, the Mets placed Blackburn on the 60-day IL with a spinal fluid leak.

Starting pitching was always going to be one of the focal points of the Mets’ offseason (presumably, along with a pursuit of Juan Soto and an effort to re-sign Pete Alonso). Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and Jose Quintana are all free agents following the World Series (or at least they will be, once Manaea declines a $13.5MM player option). Blackburn could’ve been a key depth arm — a potential fifth starter or swingman — but his health now calls that role into question and only furthers the Mets’ need to add both high-end pitching talent and quality big league depth.