Impending NY Mets roster decision got more complicated

The New York Mets’ pitching staff has quietly been one of the game’s strongest forces, steadily piling up stellar performances without demanding much attention. Yet beneath that steady surface, there’s a subtle shift starting to take shape. One pitcher is inching closer to returning from injury, while another’s recent rough stretch makes change feel more likely by the day. And just when it looked like the decision was making itself, the situation got a little murkier. A strong outing won’t erase past struggles, but it does force a pause. What looked like a near certainty just became a lot more complicated.

The New York Mets could be nearing a pivotal rotation decision with Paul Blackburn on the verge of returning, and recent performances are adding a new wrinkle to the mix.

Paul Blackburn didn’t just check a box in his latest rehab start, he might’ve signed and sealed it. The right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out six. He needed only 87 pitches to get through it, looking like someone who’s spent the last few weeks getting fine-tuned in the Mets’ pitching lab. If there was any doubt about whether he was ready, that stat line probably erased it. And with his rehab window just about up, all signs point to that being his final tune-up before a return to Queens.

Tylor Megill, on the other hand, was trending in the opposite direction, until tonight. Heading into Wednesday night's start in Boston, Megill’s May had been more nightmare than neutral. Through three starts this month, he carried an 8.76 ERA, allowing 15 hits and 10 walks in just 12.1 innings. It was a sharp turn from his early-season form when he posted a 1.76 ERA across his first six outings. Given his track record, four straight seasons with an ERA north of 4.00, it was hard not to wonder if the early shine had started to fade.

Then came Wednesday night. While Jacob deGrom made headlines across town in his return to New York, Megill quietly put together a performance that might’ve turned just as many heads. Against a Red Sox lineup looking for a sweep, he struck out 10 over 4.2 innings, giving up just one run, thanks more to a defensive mess than anything he did on the mound. He walked one, scattered four hits, and looked more like the pitcher from April than the one we’ve seen this month. It wasn’t a long outing, but it was loud. And just like that, a decision that seemed to be writing itself may now need a second draft.

The Mets don’t need to rush a decision but the Mets are heading towards a choice they can’t put off much longer. Blackburn looks ready. Megill just made things interesting again. It’s the kind of dilemma that good teams have: one arm returning, another refusing to give up his spot. Whatever the Mets decide, it’s not coming from panic, it’s coming from strength. And if nights like this keep happening, they may choose between good and better. Not a bad problem to have.