This story was excerpted from Martín Gallegos’ A’s Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

OAKLAND – With the A’s set to begin an eight-game road trip that will run through the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline, the possibility exists that Paul Blackburn might have pitched his final game at the Coliseum in an A’s uniform.

As the Deadline approaches and playoff-contending teams ramp up their pursuit of starting pitching help for the final stretch, Blackburn’s name continues to float around in trade rumors. Taking the mound against the Astros on Saturday night at the Coliseum in front of a handful of scouts in attendance, Blackburn certainly left an impression, limiting the defending World Series champions to one run on five hits while walking three and striking out five.

Coming off his first career All-Star selection last season, Blackburn’s 2023 campaign has not been ideal. A finger issue sidelined him in Spring Training and delayed his season debut until the end of May. Overall, Blackburn carries a 5.06 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) with 49 strikeouts and 18 walks across 48 innings.

While the consistency has been missing, Blackburn has shown flashes of the qualities – much like his ability to tame a potent Houston offense on Saturday – that makes him an intriguing potential pickup for teams around the league. Against the Astros, the 29-year-old right-hander demonstrated a better feel for his slider, which he threw 22 times and generated 14 swinging strikes and five whiffs with.

“I’ve just kind of been babying it,” Blackburn said on Saturday of his slider. “My last couple of outings, I was trying to place it instead of just throwing it. Movement-wise, it was really good today.”

It has been quite the journey for Blackburn. Acquired from the Mariners in a November 2016 trade for Danny Valencia, Oakland is where Blackburn went from intriguing rookie to getting designated for assignment in 2021 before resurrecting his career one year later as an All-Star.

Despite the trade rumblings, Blackburn did not put much thought into the chance that Saturday’s outing at the Coliseum could have been his last in green and gold.

“I’ve kind of been around the Trade Deadline my whole career,” Blackburn said. “I’m here and I want to be here. I love these guys. I really do. I would fight for every single guy in here. It’s a big family in here and this is where I want to be. As far as the Trade Deadline, it hasn’t crept into my mind at all.”