Blackburn lost out of a rotation spot and was expected to open up in middle relief before the news came down yesterday that he was IL bound. Max Kranick figures to take on Blackburn’s innings.

It’s yet another lost starter for the Mets, who are also going to be without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas due to their injuries to open 2025. There’s no timetable yet for when Blackburn will be ready to return.

Blackburn added to his case for a spot in the Mets rotation, but he didn’t do so nearly as emphatically as Griffin Canning did in the team’s other split-squad game, and his spring ERA still stands at 5.68. There’s a good chance he’ll open the season in middle relief.

Five Mets pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout. Blackburn, who allowed six hard-hit balls and didn’t generate a single missed swing, needed just 37 pitches to get through four. He’s battling Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning for the two injury-related openings in the Mets rotation.