Oakland A’s make inevitable move with Paul Blackburn
Chances are, Paul Blackburn was not going to play a significant part in the Oakland A’s fortunes for the 2021 season. While he could provide respectable depth for the team, Blackburn had been surpassed by other players in the A’s system, making his place on the 40 man roster tenuous at best.
On Tuesday, the inevitable occurred. Blackburn was designated for assignment as the A’s used his spot for the recently signed Mitch Moreland.
A's make the Mitch Moreland signing official, designate Paul Blackburn for assignment.
— Melissa Lockard (@melissalockard) February 23, 2021
Oakland A’s make inevitable move with Paul Blackburn
Blackburn’s tenure with the A’s had a strong start. He posted a 3.22 ERA and a 1.261 WHiP in his 58.2 innings in 2017, giving hope that he could be a piece for the future. However, his 3.4 K/9 rate and 4.39 FIP hinted that regression would come.
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That regression happened from that point on. His 2018 campaign began on the wrong foot as he started the year on the injured list. After six ineffective outings, Blackburn was back on the injured list with an injured forearm to close out the year.
Although he had appearances in each of the past four seasons, Blackburn just never could find that magic in the majors any longer. He posted a 2-6 record with a 9.22 ERA and a 1.622 WHiP over his 41 innings in those three seasons, striking out 29 batters with 12 walks. However, his solid ground ball tendencies and 4.44 FIP indicated that Blackburn should have fared better than the numbers show.
The issue was that Blackburn had run out of time with the A’s. Oakland’s young pitchers have either graduated to the major league level or are on the cusp of reaching the majors, making him expendable. Now, if he is to get another chance, it may have to come via trade.
Next. A's had excellent offseason after all. dark
The Oakland A’s needed a roster spot. As Paul Blackburn had become expendable, it was inevitable that his time would come to an end.