The “weird” season of Paul Blackburn took a strange turn on Tuesday evening when he was awakened by a messenger who made his hotel room door after he missed a phone call with the information that the Mets were planning to activate him the next day of the injured list.
At that time, Blackburn was set up for a rehabilitation start for Triple-A Syracuse.
But the Mets had used Justin Hagenman for four innings in relief in their victory over the Braves and wanted Blackburn to join the Bullpen as a replacement for Hagenman.
“Absolutely surprised,” Blackburn said in Citi Field on Wednesday before the Mets 11-6 lost to the Braves.
Blackburn was used this night, threw the last five innings and allowed two earned points.
“He saved the bullpen,” said Carlos Mendoza manager.
Yet it is unclear whether the experienced Blackburn will linger for a long time, unclear.
The Mets need a schedule to call Nolan McLean for his Major League debut on Saturday.
Blackburn, who has no remaining Minor League option, is an excellent DFA candidate.
Blackburn, who spent six weeks on the IL with a right shoulder pride, had last for the Mets in Pittsburgh on 28 June.
It is a season in which he also missed rehabilitation of knee inflammation for two months.
Blackburn also had a gastric virus that contributed to it early in the season to reset his rehabilitation clock.
In general, this season he threw 12 Minor League matches as part of Rehab assignments.
There have been times when he was about to stay alone on a rehabilitation assignment – with the Mets who might try to maximize the schedule.
In seven performances (four starts) for the Mets, he has placed an ERA of 6.85.
“I just want to be in a place and pitch, really,” said Blackburn. “I just want to be somewhere and pitch.”
The Mets, due to heavy rain, postponed a pregame ceremony to honor Pete Alonso about passing Darryl Strawberry as the home leader of the franchise.
Alonso hit career homer no. 253 on Tuesday to break the record before he adds no. 254.
The ceremony is now planned for Pregame on Thursday.
The Mets set a franchise record for a season with a third game on Tuesday in which they reached at least six home runs.
The season was seven in Philadelphia on June 21.
Entering the day that the Mets this season was the only MLB team with three games in which they reached at least six gays.
All six homers of Tuesday took place with two Uit-Alleen the fifth time that occurred in MLB in the expansion era (after 1961).
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