The Yankees added an arm today, signing right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn to the active roster. Fellow right-hander Allan Winans was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
Blackburn comes across town after spending the last year or so with the Mets. He was DFA’d earlier
this week after an uninspiring run in Queens, posting a 6.85 ERA in seven appearances this year. The 31-year-old has largely been a starter for his career, with just seven of his 93 total appearances coming as a reliever. He could fill a long relief role for the Yankees then, similar to how Ryan Yarbrough was initially deployed by the team at the start of the year.
Of course, Yarbrough himself appears close to returning from an oblique injury that has sidelined him for several weeks, having made his second Triple-A rehab appearance just yesterday. A return from Yarbrough could quickly make Blackburn redundant, though with active rosters expanding to 28 on September 1st, the Yankees will soon be able to carry an extra pitcher. Expect the likes of Blackburn, Winans, and Yarbrough, among others, all to compete for that added slot.
