SAN DIEGO — Paul Blackburn’s pitching session Sunday told him he won’t be ready to take his next turn in the rotation.
That left the Mets to place the right-hander on the injured list, two days after he took a line drive from the right hand and suffered a contusion.
Blackburn’s roster spot currently belongs to Huascar Brazoban, who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to provide the team with an extra reliever.
Tylor Megill will be recalled from Syracuse to start in Blackburn’s place sometime this week.
The Mets, with Monday’s scheduled day off, have the option to bring David Peterson back on normal rest Thursday against the Diamondbacks and have Megill face the White Sox next weekend.
Megill has struggled for the Mets this season, posting a 5.17 ERA in 10 games for the team.
He was most recently removed from the major league roster following the trade last month that brought Blackburn from Oakland.
Blackburn said he was stiff and sore playing catch Sunday and will use the next two weeks to eliminate the inflammation in his hand.
Blackburn was hit on the hand of David Peralta’s 100-mph line drive on Friday while shielding his head and was forced to leave in the third inning.
It is the latest setback for Blackburn in what has been a frustrating season: a stress reaction in his right foot saw him miss 2½ months playing for the Athletics.
“I had eight starts to start the year and I ended up breaking my foot and then came back from that and I had five starts,” Blackburn said. “I feel like I haven’t been able to get into a rhythm or get into a routine and get a chance to help a team get into the playoffs and then take a line drive out of hand, so it’s kind of frustrating.”
Mendoza had hoped Brazoban would have a “reset” in Syracuse — the manager was concerned about how the right-hander had reacted to his recent struggles — but the reliever never left the team Friday (in case the Mets needed to place Blackburn on the IL) after he was selected for release roster space for Dedniel Nunez.