The New York Yankees are still very much in the hunt to defend their American League Championship, even if this season hasn’t gone exactly as planned.
Their quartet of MVPs – Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, and Paul Goldschmidt – continue to carry the load as the team chases championship number 28.
But not everyone’s getting a postseason invite.
When October arrives, rosters shrink from 40 active players down to 26, and Paul Blackburn seems to be on the outside looking in. That’s according to Chris Landers of FanSided, who projects the right-hander won’t make the Yankees’ playoff roster.
It’s a tough break for Blackburn, who was an All-Star with Oakland back in 2022. The Yankees picked him up just two days after the Mets released him, but things haven’t clicked in pinstripes.
His 7.09 combined ERA tells the story. That’s not the kind of number that gets you postseason looks, especially when roster spots are at a premium.
“We’re sure Yankees fans would love to see Anthony Volpe or Devin Williams listed here, but that simply isn’t realistic; if New York were going to ditch either of them in October, they would’ve done so by now,” Landers wrote. “Instead, we’ll turn to the back of the bullpen, where it seems as though Blackburn might be the odd man out.”
The 31-year-old from Antioch finds himself squeezed out by guys like Devin Williams, who’s been pitching better lately, and position players like Anthony Volpe who bring more versatility to a condensed roster.
It’s the reality of playoff baseball – every spot matters, and performance dictates everything.
The Yankees sit 3.5 games behind in the AL East standings while maintaining a 2.5-game cushion above the Wild Card cut line. They’re in good position to make the postseason, which means these roster decisions are becoming very real very quickly.
For Blackburn, it’s about finishing strong and showing the organization he belongs in their October plans. With his track record – including that All-Star season – he’s got the talent. Now it’s about putting up the numbers when it matters most.
