At the beginning of the season, I did a deep dive on Oakland A’s pitcher Paul Blackburn. Less than a month into the season, Blackburn gave fans hope that this team still had some critical pieces left. Despite the .400 record and finding themselves in last place in the AL West, the A’s still have a key and clutch player in Blackburn.
What has happened since we last chatted?
So far, the RHP has 5 wins and no losses, with his ERA sitting at 1.70. That’s 5 wins that the A’s desperately needed. In his last start against Seattle, Blackburn went 5 1/3, with only one hit. Despite 5 BBs and only 2 SOs, he came away with the W.
In his post-game interview, Blackburn stated that despite the walks, he was able to get batters to make soft contact with his (now increasingly) signature repertoire of breaking balls.
He also has a knack for using all of his assets. If his change-up isn’t quite there, he noted his use of cutters into lefties or his four seam up. He also credited his success to his maturity compared to last year, not letting the emotions take hold, and embracing, as he called it, “the pitch-to-pitch” mentality.
What can Blackburn’s success mean for the A’s?
He is becoming a player of increasing importance on the back-sliding A’s. In early May, with a win against the Detroit Tigers, he ended a 9-game losing streak for the team. During the game, he recorded just 4 hits, no walks, and no earned runs while going 6 2/3.
His performance can be a spark, something that can get the momentum going as we head into June. Yes, it’s unnerving to watch a guy like this barely get any run support. And while the season is still young, a turnaround, with a pivotal push from Blackburn, needs to happen as soon as possible.
This week, Paul Blackburn’s start kicks off a 3-game series with a dominant Houston team. If he can keep that composure and trust his pitches (and get that much needed run support), the glimmer of hope is still alive.