NY Yankees Sign Ex-Mets Pitcher With 6.23 ERA

This is not the kind of free agent retaliatory move that New York Yankees fans were hoping for.

The New York Mets have signed a couple of key ex-Yankees pitchers for their bullpen this offseason in Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. Now an ex-Mets hurler has re-signed with the Yankees — but this is hardly what fans in the Bronx had in mind.

Yankees, RHP Paul Blackburn reportedly agree to deal, per @MLBNetwork insider @JonHeyman. pic.twitter.com/Jq9z0e9sXe
— MLB (@MLB) December 21, 2025

In a late-night move, the Yanks have re-signed Paul Blackburn, whom they signed after he was placed on waivers by the Mets last season. He had a 6.23 ERA in 2025, with a 5.28 ERA in 15.1 innings in Pinstripes. He was blasted in his one and only postseason outing for the Yanks, getting rocked for four runs over 1.1 innings by the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

On the season, he had a WHIP of 1.51 and allowed batters to hit .296 off him. Yikes. Understandable, perhaps, why the Yankees waited until the middle of the night to announce this one.

When the Mets steal the Yankees players - 2024 one of the best closers in baseball, a generational talent, and another reliever with very high upside.

When the Yankees steal the Mets players - Paul Blackburn

They can’t even steal players the right way 😂😂
— SemienIsKing (@SemienIsKing) December 21, 2025

It's a one-year deal for $2 million.

Blackburn was riddled with injuries over the last year. He had surgery to repair a cerebrospinal fluid leak in his back during the last offseason. Then knee and shoulder injuries dogged him with the Mets in 2025, leading to his release.

For his nine-year career, Blackburn has a 4.97 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.

This move continues a pretty ugly offseason so far for the Yankees, with no major signings or trades, and the free agent losses of Williams and Weaver to the Mets, while their other key free agent Cody Bellinger remains out on the market.