SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Paul Blackburn #58 of the Oakland Athletics throws a warm up pitch during the spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
Chances are, Paul Blackburn was not going to play a significant part in the Oakland A’s fortunes for the 2021 season. While he could provide respectable depth for the team, Blackburn had been surpassed by other players in the A’s system, making his place on the 40 man roster tenuous at best.