You don’t often see this in baseball-verse, where someone who has been out of the game for a while—recovering, regrouping- suddenly being tossed into the deep end like, ‘Swim now!’ But this is what’s happening with New York Mets veteran Paul Blackburn.

After nearly 10 months away from the Major League scene, the Mets right-hander is back. But they are not easing him back for a sleepy Tuesday night game. Nope! They are handing him the ball Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in LA! Talk about trial by fire.

Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza, though, is not nervous! In the recent conference, he sounded like a guy who has watched the $4 million starter sharpen his tools way better than others think behind the scenes.

Mostly, though, the New York Mets skipper simply believes in Blackburn’s muscle memory. Mendoza, discussing whether he is nervous about Blackburn returning after nearly a year, said. “Not really, because he’s been in this league for a long time now. You know, he knows what it takes. This is not a situation where you’re calling up a rookie, you know, or a guy that’s been up and down. He’s been in this league for quite a bit now and has had some success. You know, he knows what’s at stake.” And he has reason to trust Blackburn; his numbers in rehab are stellar.

The 31-year-old veteran has been rebuilding extremely well. After battling through a right knee inflammation and even a stomach bug in April, the starter put together a class performance in his rehab run. 3.68 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 1.09 WHIP over 29.1 innings. His final outing was great too, with 6 1/3 innings, 2 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts. So he is healthy and very much ready to face the fire.

However, many are nervous, and it is understandable because Blackburn hasn’t pitched in the majors since his rough stretch in 2024. There, he had posted a 5.18 ERA in five starts for the Mets after the deadline trade from Oakland. Even then, though, there was promise before injuries derailed his season completely. Now that he is back in the fold, he will be a part of a six-man rotation. The New York Mets are probably hoping that Blackburn will stabilize a few things and maybe even surprise everyone along the way.

New York Mets set to welcome back three key starters

If you thought that Paul Blackburn’s return was the only one in the pipeline, you are very much wrong. The team, which is already looking on fire, is actually piecing its staff back together, and not one but three starters are eyeing comebacks. Blackburn, of course, is set to face the Dodgers, but right behind him are Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, who, according to Mendoza, are making huge strides.

Manaea, sidelined since May because of a right oblique strain, threw a bullpen session on Thursday, and it went well, according to Mendoza. The team has scheduled another bullpen session for Monday, but this time with a slight twist. “It’ll be an up-and-down live BP…. Last time it was just one time up, 20 pitches. Now he’s going two innings, facing the batter,” said Mendoza. If all goes well, it could lead to a rehab start.

Meanwhile, Montas, who is sidelined because of a right lat strain, is scheduled for a rehab outing on Tuesday, if weather permits. His last start for High A Brooklyn showed immense promise—three innings, two runs, and three strikeouts. He also threw 49 pitches, 28 for strikes. Right now, this is progress, and the Mets, who are red-hot, could use all of it. Because while the arms may be healing, some bats are still a work in progress—ask Mark Vientos.

The 25-year-old has had a rocky season after a great 2024 season. The inconsistency is hard to miss at this point. He did show some life in May, but it’s nothing credible, and Vientos even found himself out of the lineup on Saturday. So for the Mets, reinforcements are only for the better.

What do you think about Vientos and his slump this season? Will the returning trio of pitchers mark an upward trajectory for the Mets? Let us know your thoughts.