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Blackburn is scheduled to make his first start of the season Monday in Tampa Bay.

Blackburn will be included in the Athletics' season-opening rotation less on merit than by virtue of being one of the few available starting options on the 40-man roster with James Kaprielian (shoulder) and Brent Honeywell (elbow) on the injured list and Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt having been traded away this spring. The 28-year-old Blackburn owns a 5.74 ERA and a minuscule 12.8 percent strikeout rate over 138 career big-league frames, and he didn't demonstrate any improvement in his 8.2 Cactus League innings this spring (9.35 ERA, 11.9 K%). Even with a two-start week on tap -- his second turn comes April 16 in Toronto -- Blackburn doesn't look like a usable fantasy option outside of AL-only leagues.

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