{"id":111098,"date":"2025-12-21T17:44:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T22:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=111098"},"modified":"2025-12-21T17:44:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T22:44:23","slug":"yankees-re-sign-paul-blackburn-must-add-more-relievers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/21\/yankees-re-sign-paul-blackburn-must-add-more-relievers\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees Re-Sign Blackburn, But Still Need More Pieces in the Bullpen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>According to Jon Heyman of the <em>New York Post<\/em>, the New York Yankees have re-signed right-handed reliever <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/blackpa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paul Blackburn<\/a> to a one-year deal worth $2 million. The move comes amid a quiet December thus far for New York, with their only other moves being minor league transactions. The Yankees picked up Blackburn last season after he was DFA&#8217;d by the New York Mets in August. The 32-year-old tossed 15 1\/3 innings in the Bronx last season to an ERA of 5.28. If Blackburn meets certain incentives for innings pitched, the deal can go up to $2.5 million.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_111111\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-111111\" style=\"width: 794px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-111111\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"794\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27185688_168400885_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-111111\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sep 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) pitches in the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Report: Yankees Re-Sign Paul Blackburn<\/h2>\n<p>Blackburn joins <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/y\/yarbrry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryan Yarbrough<\/a> as the only other free agent member of last year&#8217;s bullpen that the Yankees are bringing back for next season. Both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=willide03,willia005dev&amp;search=Devin+Williams&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Devin Williams<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/weavelu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luke Weaver<\/a>, both key members of last year&#8217;s pitching staff, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/01\/mets-sign-devin-williams-three-year-contract\/\" target=\"_self\">left the Yankees<\/a> for Queens to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/17\/mets-luke-weaver-bullpen-stearns\/\" target=\"_self\">join the Mets<\/a>. Now, the Yankees must pivot and find another set of relief arms to fill their roles; perhaps they think Blackburn can be a &#8220;replacement&#8221; for either of these two pitchers, but with a mindset like this, the Yankees will soon find themselves with one of the worst bullpens in the entire American League.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Blackburn deal: $2M guaranteed plus 100k for each of 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 IP. $2.5M possible <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9pXPXKX1Pl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/9pXPXKX1Pl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JonHeyman\/status\/2002597261298315501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>On The Blackburner<\/h3>\n<p>Blackburn, who has spent the majority of his major league career with the Athletics, has a career ERA of 4.97 across 467 1\/3 innings with the A&#8217;s, Mets, and Yankees. Selected as an All-Star in 2022, Blackburn has struggled to find his groove in recent years. He&#8217;s had just one season with an ERA under 4.00, which was his rookie year back in 2017. The Yankees should, at the most, expect 50-70 innings out of Blackburn, so they&#8217;re definitely going to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/19\/two-free-agent-pitching-options-can-help-yankees-chris-bassitt-pete-fairbanks\/\" target=\"_self\">need more reinforcements in the bullpen<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, there are not many big names still available in the free agent pool of relievers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=diazed04,diazed03,diaz--005edw&amp;search=Edwin+D\u00edaz&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edwin D\u00edaz<\/a>, Williams, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/helslry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryan Helsley<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/suarero01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robert Suarez<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/i\/iglesra01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Raisel Iglesias<\/a> are <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/09\/report-dodgers-sign-free-agent-closer-edwin-diaz\/\" target=\"_self\">all off the table<\/a>. There are just a handful of pitchers remaining on the market, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/y\/yateski01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kirby Yates<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/f\/fairbpe01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pete Fairbanks<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/n\/newcose01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sean Newcomb<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/junisja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jakob Junis<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/c\/couloda01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-12-21_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Danny Coulombe<\/a>. Clearly, the Yankees&#8217; strategy is not to bulk up the bullpen through external means, but rather to run it back with the guys they already have.<\/p>\n<h3>&#8220;Built To Win&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Jeff Passan of <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/team\/_\/name\/nyy\/new-york-yankees\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ESPN<\/a> reports that the Yankees&#8217; front office &#8220;likes the team that they have right now and think they can win the American League East with it.&#8221; Of course, if this is true, then there won&#8217;t be many more big moves and\/or acquisitions for New York throughout the rest of the offseason. If New York&#8217;s front office was truly committed to winning, they would have no hesitation in doing what the (<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/18\/current-dodgers-notes-mookie-betts-tyler-glasnow\/\" target=\"_self\">back-to-back champion<\/a>) Los Angeles Dodgers are doing, which is bulking up the squad they already have. If the Yankees think they can win the division with a worse version of a team that couldn&#8217;t even win last year&#8217;s division title, then they have an unpleasant surprise waiting for them once springtime rolls around.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Yankees have re-signed right-handed reliever Paul Blackburn to a one-year deal worth $2 million. The move comes amid a quiet December thus far for New York, with their only other moves being minor league transactions. The Yankees picked up Blackburn last season after [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5148,"featured_media":106270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1071,35],"tags":[4266,1931,2845,2562,5656,4969,127,6448,3915,887],"class_list":["post-111098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yankees","category-mlb","category-news","tag-devin-williams","tag-edwin-diaz","tag-kirby-yates","tag-luke-weaver","tag-paul-blackburn","tag-pete-fairbanks","tag-raisel-iglesias","tag-robert-suarez","tag-ryan-helsley","tag-ryan-yarbrough"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5148"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111098"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111112,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111098\/revisions\/111112"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}