The New York Mets are on the verge of finalizing a deal with the Oakland Athletics to bring in experienced right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn, a former All-Star starter, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. In exchange for Blackburn, the Athletics will be receiving promising right-hander Kade Morris, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon.

Blackburn, 30, recently made a comeback to the Major League pitching scene after a two-month absence due to a right foot stress reaction. In his return start against the Los Angeles Angels on July 26, he allowed four runs on five hits over five innings. The seasoned pitcher has been maintaining a league-average performance when healthy, holding a 91 ERA+ and a 2.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio in nine starts this season.

With Blackburn under team control for the next season as well, the Mets are optimistic about integrating him into their 2025 rotation. The Mets have been in dire need of pitching reinforcements following the injuries to Christian Scott and Kodai Senga, with the latter expected to miss the remainder of the regular season due to a calf injury.

The Mets, who currently stand at a 56-50 record, are trailing nine games behind in the National League East. They are tied with the San Diego Padres for the second wild-card spot, holding a slim lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The departing Morris, 22, a third-round pick in 2023, has shown promise in his 18 appearances across different levels with a 3.51 ERA and a 3.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, recently being ranked as the 26th best prospect in the Mets' farm system by Baseball America.