NEW YORK — This month, Mets pitcher Paul Blackburn underwent a medical procedure to address a leaking spinal fluid issue, as announced by the team on Tuesday.

This condition caused Blackburn to be sidelined in September, preventing him from participating in New York’s playoff campaign, which came to a close on Sunday following a Game 6 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

According to the team’s statement, Blackburn had a cerebrospinal fluid leak repair carried out on October 11 by Dr. Wouter Schievink at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. The Mets indicated that he could potentially be back on the field in four to five months, which would align with the start of spring training.

Blackburn was acquired from the Oakland Athletics at the trade deadline on July 30, in exchange for minor league pitcher Kade Morris, to provide additional support in the back end of New York’s rotation as the season progressed.

Unfortunately, he managed only five starts during his time with the Mets, recording a 1-2 record and a 5.18 ERA. He initially landed on the 15-day injured list due to a bruised right hand after being struck by a line drive on August 23. Although he was expected to return for a game in Toronto on September 9, he was unable to play due to a sore lower back.

Blackburn experienced a sensation similar to compression during physical activities, which led him to discover the spinal fluid leak affecting his back.

He received a series of 10 platelet-rich plasma injections and resumed throwing on September 18, with hopes of contributing to the Mets before the end of the season. However, shortly thereafter, the team decided to rule him out for the remainder of the regular season.

The 30-year-old Blackburn, who earned an All-Star selection in 2022 with the Athletics, concluded the year with a combined record of 5-4 and a 4.66 ERA across 14 starts with both Oakland and New York. Over his eight-season major league career, his overall record stands at 22-28 with a 4.85 ERA.

This past year, Blackburn had a salary of $3.45 million, and he is set to be eligible for arbitration this winter.