Reese Kaplan -- Unlikely Approach to Improving Starting Pitching

The trade deadline has come and gone.  There were some obvious improvements made, some overpays of prospect capital given the fact that all new ballplayers coming to the team are due to become free agents at year’s end, and some areas of need that were not addressed at all.  As the club begins its final 60 games with an eye on October baseball scheduling and hopefully domination, let’s take a look at what’s working and not working for Carlos Mendoza right now.

A Brief Look at Mets Starting Pitching

On paper the Mets have a nearly impenetrable group of five pitchers ready to make oppositions quake in their cleats.  Kodai Senga demonstrated back in 2023 what kind of stellar pitcher he can be.  David Peterson has put together back to back outstanding seasons once he had the physical health to deliver what he’s capable of doing.  Sean Manaea has pitched at a higher level with the Mets than he did in the past.  Clay Holmes demonstrated more than once that his transition from one of the game’s best relievers into starting standout was a smooth one.  Even Frankie Montas has occasionally showed the ability David Stearns must have felt made him a great addition to the roster.

Now, of course, all is not quite that crystal clear.  Both Kodai Senga and David Peterson have shown markedly better ERAs when they have five days of rest instead of four.  Nothing has changed in that regard by the team.  Sean Manaea should be fine once his strength returns fully.  Holmes has already exceeded his innings expectation yet is ready to be on the hill for the remaining two months of the season during which his cracks have begun to show.  Montas remains a question mark.

Despite Mendoza already stating his intention is to maintain a five man rotation for the foreseeable future, the fact is that a six man rotation is now indeed completely possible with the return of Paul Blackburn.  Now, before you reach for hard liquor or pitchforks to begin your hostile protest, hear me out. 

Paul Blackburn has been one of David Stearns’ lesser acquisitions in his mostly successful architecture of the Mets’ future.  As a member of the Mets Blackburn has been pretty awful.  Between 2024 and 2025 Blackburn’s numbers are not pretty.  He owns a 1-6 records with a -0.8 WAR, a 6.28 ERA and a 1.744 WWHIP.  He has shown decent control but has been highly hittable having given up 61 hits in 43 innings pitched.  Ugh, indeed.

During his health struggles while on this team he’s not delivered what the club had envisioned, though fixing problematic ballplayers is a dice roll at best.  During his Oakland career Blackburn also had a losing career, a high ERA, gave up too many hits and owned an acceptable but not terrific WHIP.  Again, his strong control is about the only bright light.

While in rehab, Blackburn has had some bad outings but also some very good ones.  As he returns to the roster the question arises whether he is going to be the multi inning reliever Huascar Brazoban allegedly was developing into while in Syracuse.  While there is a need there given some of the shorter starting stints, there has already been the evidence of more rest being needed by Senga, Peterson and Holmes.  In addition, adding Blackburn into a 6th starter role would minimize the number of days seen by Frankie Montas and would also give Sean Manaea more time to recondition into a lengthier starting pitcher. 

Now if absorbing some Blackburn 4.00+ ERA starts will return Senga, Peterson and Holmes to 3.00 or better performances while offering up time to Manaea and sheltering the team from Frankie Montas then it may indeed be a decent use of the remainder of Blackburn’s tenure as a member of the Mets.