Yankees fortify their pitching staff by adding Paul Blackburn on a major league deal, a move that could reshape late-inning usage and streaming options for fantasy rosters as the season wears on.

Blackburn, 31, lands in New York after a Mets stint in which he logged 7 appearances (4 starts) and posted a 6.85 ERA over 23 2/3 innings this year. He was an All-Star in 2022 with Oakland, posting a 4.28 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 30 walks across 21 outings. The club activated Blackburn and optioned Allan Winans to Triple-A, signaling a bullpen-focused role for the veteran in the Bronx alongside a mix of arms like Weaver, Bednar, Doval, Leiter Jr., Hill and De los Santos.

Winans’ DFA by the Mets earlier this month and subsequent move to the Yankees heighten the depth narrative, with Blackburn likely stepping into a high-leverage-friendly bullpen slot rather than a traditional starting role. Across nine MLB seasons, Blackburn has 93 appearances and 86 starts with a 4.96 ERA, giving New York a flexible arm who can bridge between long relief and mid-to-late-inning relief as the Yankees navigate injuries and fatigue in a crowded pennant race.

Whole-roster context aside, the win-now mindset is clear: the Yankees are banking on Blackburn to stabilize the middle innings and provide a reliable option when the starter turns, while Winans’ demotion underscores the balancing act of depth—especially for contending teams counting on a deep bullpen to carry them through the stretch run.