It appeared as though Paul Blackburn‘s time with the Oakland A’s was at an end. Due to their spate of signings, room needed to be found on the 40 man roster. As Blackburn had struggled of late, he was the perfect player to be removed. The A’s designated him for assignment, allowing any team willing to take a chance to select him off of waivers.
It turned out that Blackburn was able to pass through waivers without issue. He will be ticketed for AAA, but will be able to return to the A’s camp on Sunday.
Paul Blackburn cleared waivers and will return to A's camp tomorrow.
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) February 28, 2021
Paul Blackburn still respectable depth for Oakland A’s
Blackburn’s time in the majors began with promise. While the metrics did not support his showing, the groundball specialist posted a solid 3.22 ERA and a 1.261 WHiP in his 58.2 innings as a rookie in 2017, leading to the hope that he could be a useful piece in the back of the A’s rotation.
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There were warning signs that Blackburn would be unable to continue that level of production. Although his 4.39 FIP was not terrible, his 3.5 K/9 rate was definitely troublesome. Injuries contributed to his struggles, but Blackburn has posted a horrendous 9.22 ERA and a 1.622 WHiP in his 41 innings since the start of the 2018 season.
However, Blackburn still filled a role for the A’s. As a groundball specialist, he could potentially fill a long relief role on the major league roster, and may actually be better suited for a spot in the bullpen to get that key double play. Otherwise, he would be the perfect option in AAA, a player to bring up in case of an emergency.
That will be his role going forward. Blackburn’s chances of cracking the Opening Day roster, as slim as they were, are even smaller now. But he is still a veteran arm that can be stashed in AAA, ready to be brought up if circumstances dictate.
Paul Blackburn will be staying in the Oakland A’s system. While he may not be a star, he is still a solid depth option to have stashed away.