Paul Blackburn’s extra-long rehab assignment will continue. The Mets will have the right-hander make one more rehab start to continue building up his pitch count before making a decision about whose roster spot he will take. Blackburn could have rejoined the team this weekend for their home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the team wants to have him reach the 80-pitch threshold one more time.
The injury to his knee was relatively minor and the expectation was that the rehab would be quick, but Blackburn had a setback with the flu in the middle of his rehab assignment, forcing him to start over again. Plus, with the pitching staff throwing the ball so well, it’s tough to know where to even use him.
Initially, the plan was to use him in the bullpen as a long reliever before moving him to the rotation for certain parts of the schedule. The Mets have inserted a sixth starter on occasion and plan to employ one throughout some stretches of the season, and having Max Kranick and Huascar Brazobán makes it easier for them to do so. Kranick and Brazobán, both right-handed long relievers, do have minor league options, but they’ve also been two of the best pitchers in the bullpen.
They could have to bump one of the lefties, Genesis Cabrera or Jose Castillo, since they’re both out of minor league options. Right-handed starter Tylor Megill does have options, but he likely saved his spot in the rotation with a good start in Boston on Wednesday.
The team caught a lucky break when Blackburn was sidelined by the flu last month, allowing them to reset his rehab clock. It’s a good problem to have, but it’s one the Mets are going to continue running into. Right-hander Frankie Montas (lat strain) begins his rehab assignment Saturday, and left-hander Sean Manea (right oblique strain) is getting close to facing hitters.
The Mets have consistently owned the best ERA in baseball, so while it’s unfortunate, good pitchers are going to be cut.
SCOUTING THE DODGERS
The challenge for the healthy pitchers this weekend is getting a lineup of ultra-patient hitters to try to swing. The Dodgers possess incredible plate discipline, which was something the Mets didn’t handle well last fall during the postseason. They walked too many hitters and were unable to command the strike zone, leading to blowouts in the six-game NLCS.
Most of those hitters are back in 2025, with a few minor additions, including former Mets outfielder Michael Conforto, and they’ve picked right back up where they left off with the highest on-base percentage in baseball (.343), and the second-highest OPS (.814).
“They control the strike zone,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday at Citi Field. “Last year in the playoffs, they controlled the zone and we gave them a lot of free passes. We’re going to have to attack, you know? I know it’s not an easy thing to do, but we’ve got to believe in our stuff here and not be giving them too much credit, even though they’re good.”
The defending World Series champs are stacked with elite hitters who practically refuse to chase pitches out of the zone. The lineup swings at the first pitch less than 30% of the time, well below the league average mark of 43%.
There is an added emphasis on executing good pitches in the strike zone and avoiding walks this weekend.
“You give them a free pass, or give them two of them, and you know what’s behind is good hitters,” Mendoza said. “That’s why you have to stay on the attack with these guys. They’re good, but we also know we’re good.”
LINEUP CHANGE
Mark Vientos was a late scratch with abdominal soreness, with the Mets citing “precautionary reasons.” Set to hit second and play third base, he was replaced by Starling Marte in the lineup and Brett Baty played third base.
