A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: maintaining a block switching metric for each block of memory in the storage system. A determination is made as to whether a first block in a first pool should be transferred to a second pool according to a block switching metric which corresponds to the first block. In response to determining that the first block in the first pool should be transferred to the second pool according to the block switching metric which corresponds to the first block, the first block is erased. The first block is then transferred from the first pool to a second RTU queue which corresponds to the second pool. A second block in the second pool is also erased and transferred from the second pool to a first RTU queue which corresponds to the first pool.