Blackburn, who's competing for a spot in the starting rotation, is 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and .174 BAA over seven innings across three spring training appearances.
As the disparity between the ERA and his WHIP and BAA metrics implies, Blackburn has actually been more effective than inept. However, a forgettable two-inning encounter with the Cubs last Wednesday in which he allowed four earned runs on three hits and a pair of walks has served to sully his overall line for the moment. Blackburn has been the diametric opposite in his other two trips to the mound, firing a pair of scoreless frames versus the Angels in his Feb. 23 spring debut, and then racking up a trio of strikeouts over three perfect innings in a 9-9 tie with the White Sox on Monday. The 24-year-old right-hander appears fully recovered from the wrist injury that ended his season prematurely in 2017, leaving him poised to potentially claim a rotation spot if he can remain consistent.