Mets pitcher undergoes surgery that could threaten Opening Day availability

The Mets announced on Tuesday that right-hander Paul Blackburn underwent a cerebrospinal fluid leak repair on Oct. 11.
The typical return timeline for the procedure is four to five months.
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Blackburn pitched five games for the Mets after his acquisition from the A’s. Then he landed on the injured list after taking a line drive on the hand against the Padres on Aug. 23. In his five starts for New York, he’s allowed 14 runs over 24 1/3 innings (5.18 ERA).
The 30-year-old is entering his final year of arbitration. The Mets rotation for 2025 could be depleted with Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and Jose Quintana all hitting free agency.
Depending on the timeline of his recovery, it is unclear if Blackburn would be ready for opening day.
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Bridget Hyland may be reached at [email protected].