Port St. Lucy – Paul Blackburn's return was easy after a complicated and horrifying injury.
He lost to the Mets' 4-1 Grapefruitreeg Marlins on Wednesday, pitching a clean 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout and two groundouts.
His first outing marked after suffering from a cerebrospinal fluid leak late last season and undergoing surgery. There, in October, bone spurs were shaved around the spine capsule, drained the capsule, and stitched the capsule.
Blackburn needed just seven pitches.
The plan was one inning, so his quick frame urged him to throw another 15 pitches into the bullpen to reach the team's desired workload for him.
“A huge day,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “It's a big day for him. It's a big day for us because what he went through wasn't easy. When he got the news, it was pretty scary. And the fact that it wasn't even marching – it's only once today, but he's in a live competition and is facing another team. A big step for him who is proud of him. It means he's pitching in the game this early on.”
The Blackburn is spinning firmly into the mix due to injuries to Frankie Montas (LAT Co.) and Sean Manaea (different strain).
The Mets acquired A's 31-year-old Blackburn just before the trading deadline last year in exchange for minor league pitching prospect Cademoris.
With five starts from the Mets, he scored a 5.18 ERA before being closed.
“I had a normal anxiety and a bit of anxiety before the game. I just wanted to start, and I'm excited,” Blackburn said. “I feel that today was a good step in the right direction.
“I feel good. I feel good there, I feel good and I can move the ball and I feel like I can spin as I always have. Everything feels good there.”
Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes and David Peterson seem to be the rocks of the rotation. This will make Blackburn, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning the next most likely candidate to compete for the last two spots on staff. Neither Megill nor Canning have seen game action this spring.
Wednesday marked a strong start for Blackburn to claim one of these spots.
“I'm very excited this year. I'm putting everything behind last year,” Blackburn said. “I feel like I'm in a good place right now.”
