On December 21, 2025, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the New York Yankees had re-signed right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn. Heyman shared the news publicly, writing, “Paul Blackburn goes back to Yankees,” confirming that Blackburn would return to the team after finishing the 2025 season in pinstripes.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic later reported that the agreement is a one-year contract worth $2 million. Heyman added that the $2 million is fully guaranteed and includes incentives that could increase the total value of the deal to $2.5 million.
- The Yankees re-signed Paul Blackburn to a one-year, $2 million guaranteed contract with up to $500,000 in performance incentives.
- Blackburn is expected to serve mainly as a bullpen arm and swingman due to injuries in the Yankees’ starting rotation.
- Despite a difficult 2025 season, the Yankees value Blackburn’s experience, flexibility, and strong finish in September.
Contract Terms and Pitching Depth Considerations
Blackburn’s contract includes five innings-based incentives, each valued at $100,000. The bonuses are awarded if he reaches 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 innings pitched. If all five benchmarks are met, the total incentive amount reaches $500,000.
Blackburn is primarily expected to pitch out of the bullpen, though he can be used as a swingman if needed. His role is influenced by injuries within the Yankees’ starting rotation, as Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt are all expected to miss Opening Day.
With those absences, the Yankees are projected to begin the season with a four-man rotation consisting of Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gil, and Cam Schlittler.
Betting Markets Reflect Yankees’ Position Entering 2026
Sportsbooks continue to list the Yankees among the top contenders for the 2026 season. At DraftKings and BetMGM, the Yankees are listed at +750 to win the 2026 World Series. FanDuel lists them at +700, while Caesars and PointsBet have posted odds of +850.
In American League futures markets, DraftKings and Action Network list the Yankees at +310. In individual awards markets, Covers lists Aaron Judge at +300 to win the 2026 American League MVP.
Reuters reported that after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5–4 in 11 innings in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, the Dodgers opened as the early 2026 favorite at +350 at both FanDuel and BetMGM, with the Yankees listed behind them. Earlier in 2025, Yankees World Series odds moved from +800 to +900 during spring training amid injury concerns.
Paul Blackburn’s Career Background
Paul Blackburn is a 32-year-old, 6-foot-1 right-handed pitcher and a nine-year MLB veteran. He was selected in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs out of a California high school.
Blackburn spent eight seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he was named an All-Star in 2022. During that season, he recorded a 4.28 ERA over 111.1 innings.
After leaving Oakland, Blackburn spent parts of two seasons with the New York Mets. He joined the Yankees in August 2025 after being released by the Mets.
Across his major league career, Blackburn has pitched 467.1 innings and has a 4.97 ERA.
Performance Breakdown From the 2025 Season
Blackburn’s 2025 season was split between the Mets and the Yankees. With the Mets, he recorded a career-worst 6.23 ERA, went 0–3, and finished with a -0.4 WAR. He allowed 31 hits and eight walks in 23.2 innings pitched and gave up the same number of earned runs as strikeouts. One of his appearances came on June 23, 2025, at Citi Field against the Atlanta Braves.
After joining the Yankees, Blackburn appeared in eight games and pitched 15.1 innings. He posted a 5.28 ERA, allowed 16 hits, nine earned runs, and three home runs, and struck out 16 batters. His strikeout rate with the Yankees was 9.4 batters per nine innings.
In September, Blackburn struck out 14 batters and allowed six hits. During that stretch, he relied more heavily on his sinker and cutter, which resulted in lower contact from opposing hitters.
Yankees Bullpen Moves and Projections
Blackburn is one of only a few bullpen-related moves made by the Yankees this offseason. The team exercised Tim Hill’s $3 million club option and re-signed left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough to a $2.5 million deal.
During the same offseason, the Mets signed former Yankees bullpen arms Clay Holmes, Devin Williams, and Luke Weaver. The Yankees currently have six bullpen pitchers projected on their roster entering the 2026 season.
Manager Aaron Boone said earlier in the week that he expects additional roster additions before Spring Training and stated that the Yankees already have a good roster.
According to BaseballReference.com projections, Blackburn is expected to post a 4.74 ERA over 74 innings pitched with 66 strikeouts in the 2026 season.
