The Mets’ pitching ranks continue to thin out due to an onslaught of injuries that claimed two more arms on Thursday.
The team announced prior to their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers that starting pitcher Paul Blackburn was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 30 with a right shoulder impingement. Reliever Dedniel Nunez was also placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow sprain.
Both Blackburn and Nunez had spent significant time this season on the shelf — their impacts lasting all but a few weeks.
Blackburn had been sidelined since spring training with knee inflammation that provided a problematic rehab. He did not make his 2025 debut until June 2 when he fired five scoreless innings in Los Angeles against the reigning-champion Dodgers.
Initially losing out on a starting-rotation spot to both Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning, the 31-year-old was supposed to be a bullpen piece. But Megill and Canning are out — the latter for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles — while Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea inch their way back from the injured list.
In six appearances (four starts), he was 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA, as he allowed 17 runs (16 earned) in his next five outings.
Nunez only lasted 10 games this season after recovering from an elbow injury suffered last season. While he made his season debut on May 5, he was optioned to Triple-A after walking six batters in just 3.2 innings of work.
He returned on June 22, posting a 3.00 ERA across six innings of work, including two-thirds of a scoreless sixth inning during the Mets’ 7-3 win over Milwaukee on Wednesday night at Citi Field.
In corresponding moves, the Mets recalled right-handers Justin Hagenman and Rico Garcia from the minors.
