There’s something unsettling about watching someone forced into the wrong role, like a violinist handed drumsticks mid-performance.
Paul Blackburn, a lifelong starter, is now living that dissonance in the New York Mets bullpen—and it’s not going smoothly.
Before Kodai Senga’s injury knocked the Mets’ rotation out of rhythm, the team had six healthy starters, a rare luxury.
Senga, along with Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson, and Blackburn, allowed the Mets to briefly experiment with a six-man rotation.
That trial lasted a turn before Blackburn was dispatched to the bullpen.
The shift from starter to reliever might seem like a subtle nuance on paper, but the reality is much messier. For Blackburn, it’s been a chaotic transition.
His first bullpen appearance came last Sunday at Coors Field, where he allowed three runs across four innings in a piggyback effort.
Then, on Friday, the wheels came off entirely—four earned runs on four hits while recording just a single out in a loss.
The mental and physical toll of an unfamiliar role
“It’s been tough,” Blackburn admitted candidly to SNY, after being asked about his struggles. “I just haven’t found a routine for the bullpen. It’s a lot of trial and error.”
“It’s been tough. It’s completely different routines. I just haven’t found a routine for the bullpen. It’s a lot of trial and error.”
Paul Blackburn was asked about adjusting to the bullpen after years of being a starter: pic.twitter.com/sjBYU29vG1
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 14, 2025
That honesty paints the picture more clearly than his box scores. Blackburn isn’t just giving up runs—he’s lost in the limbo of role change.
Having started 83 of his 89 career Major League games, his entire professional rhythm is anchored in taking the ball first, setting the tempo, and working through a game from start to middle innings.
Relieving flips that on its head. No set warm-up time. No guarantee when—or if—you’ll pitch. Sometimes, no clean innings to start with. You enter amid chaos, and Blackburn hasn’t found his footing in the maelstrom.
Blackburn’s recent results paint a grim picture
On June 2, Blackburn showed what he’s capable of with five scoreless innings against the Dodgers. That outing, as a starter, reminded fans of the value he can offer when used correctly.
But since the switch to the pen, his numbers have gone backward fast.
It’s not just statistical. The eye test shows a pitcher lacking confidence in an unfamiliar role.
Blackburn isn’t the first starter to struggle with the bullpen lifestyle, and he won’t be the last—but his discomfort has been starkly visible.
With Senga hurt, will the Mets reconsider?
The Mets now face a pivotal decision. With Senga on the shelf, a spot in the rotation has reopened. On paper, Blackburn’s starting experience makes him a prime candidate to slide back in. But his recent performances muddy that logic.
Do the Mets give him another crack at starting, hoping to revive the version of Blackburn that shut down the Dodgers? Or do they stick with the bullpen plan and let him keep learning on the fly, even if it’s clearly not working yet?
There’s also the team morale aspect to consider. Blackburn hasn’t complained, but he hasn’t masked his discomfort either.
Returning him to a familiar role could benefit everyone—especially a rotation trying to stabilize after losing its ace.
Sometimes, it’s not about who has the best arm—it’s about who feels right on the mound. For Paul Blackburn, the bullpen just doesn’t feel like home. And the Mets may need to fix that before it costs them more games.
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