Elephant Rumblings: Could Paul Blackburn be dealt by the deadline?

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

Prior to the 2021 season, Paul Blackburn was designated for assignment after struggling with injuries and inconsistent performance for four years. He cleared waivers and stayed with the A’s organization, and then was called up to replace Chris Bassitt after The Hound’s terrible injury last August. The A’s went into freefall around that time; they fell out of playoff contention and Blackburn continued to struggle, posting a 5.87 ERA in nine starts as the Chapman-Olson core played out its final days in Oakland.

All told, there was little reason to expect much from Blackburn after five seasons of bouncing between the minor and major leagues.

• Blackburn, MLB 2017-21: 5.74 ERA, 138 ip, 77 Ks, 38 BB, 18 HR, 4.70 FIP

But lo and behold, Blackburn took advantage of the void left by the departures of Bassitt and Sean Manaea last offseason. He took the fourth spot in the 2022 rotation and demonstrated huge improvements right out of the gate. Two-plus months into the season, Blackburn’s line remains impressive.

• Blackburn, 2022: 2.31 ERA, 66⅓ ip, 47 Ks, 15 BB, 3 HR, 3.13 FIP

Blackburn doesn’t have stuff like Frankie Montas, but he’s getting comparably good results. Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors pondered the prospects of a Blackburn move as the trade deadline approaches.

Adams cites some good reasons to think that Blackburn’s improvements aren’t just a fluke. He doesn’t throw high octane, but his velocity has increased a tick over recent seasons. His K rate is low, but so is his walk rate. He continues to induce a lot of groundballs and weak contact, and his Statcast “barrel” rate is less than half the league average.

The 28-year-old righty remains under control for three more years after this season, so he might be a good option for the A’s to keep around as a reliable mainstay of the rebuilding club’s rotation. But controllable pitching is precious to contending teams, and if the price is right, the A’s front office might consider a deal.

What say ye, AN? Will Paul Blackburn still be wearing green and gold at the end of this season? What kind of return would you accept at the trade deadline if he maintains his current level of performance? Let us know in the comments below!

A’s Coverage:

• Ashford: Game #63: A’s struggles continue in 6-1 loss in Boston
• Hall: A’s roster moves: Jonah Bride called up, Kevin Smith sent down
• Adams: The Other Potential Trade Candidate In The Athletics’ Rotation
• He: NSFW Draymond chant reaches A’s-Red Sox game at Fenway

MLB News & Interest:

• Rosenthal: What to do about Shohei Ohtani long-term: A complicated equation for the Angels ($)
• Fegan: Why White Sox Pride Night is important to Liam Hendriks ($)
• Stark: Buck Showalter speaks: On the Mets’ mojo, Francisco Lindor and taking it all in ($)
• Slusser: Short-lived T-shirts cause more friction between Giants’ Joc Pederson, Reds’ Tommy Pham ($)
• Franco: Latest On Fernando Tatis Jr.
• Franco: Hyun Jin Ryu To Undergo Elbow Surgery, Will Miss Rest Of Season
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

Melissa Lockard likes the Bride callup.

That sounds extremely invasive! Get to healing, DJ!

Smith clicks quickly in Vegas.

Fine work by Jesse Goldberg-Strassler..(catches breath)..in the booth today!

Casey Pratt laid out a fairly swift timeline of potential developments today, culminating with City approval of the Howard Terminal project in September if all goes well.

Roster moves. ┏(・o･)┛

May we see some Acton in Oakland soon?

Update on pitch clocks