Yankees re-sign Paul Blackburn to one year, $2M deal in latest low-cost move
NY Post
The Yankees are bringing back another swingman.
In a move that offers low-cost depth and flexibility, but will hardly satisfy the fan base’s quench for a big move, the Yankees agreed to re-sign Paul Blackburn on a one-year, $2 million contract on Saturday night, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
Blackburn’s deal comes with a possible $500,000 in incentives, with the right-hander eligible to earn $100,000 each if he hits 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 innings.
That is of note because Blackburn offers the ability to start — which the Yankees might need early in the season as they await the returns of Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole — but also can provide innings out of the bullpen, as he did for the Yankees late last season after signing with them in August and eventually pitching well enough to make the roster for the AL wild-card series and ALDS.
In that regard, the 32-year-old Blackburn is similar to lefty Ryan Yarbrough, who re-signed for $2.5 million earlier this offseason.
It continues a trend of the Yankees running it back with players who finished last season with them, which includes Trent Grisham accepting the $22.025 million qualifying offer, picking up Tim Hill’s $3 million club option and re-signing Amed Rosario for $2.5 million.
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
‘Freak of nature: Zion Williamson’s resurgence could pose a Knicks problem versus motivated Pelicans
Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.
It was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but for the Rangers, it’s been All About The Kids for months.
PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.