The Boston Red Sox are reportedly in talks to acquire James Paxton from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports.
The 35-year-old was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on Monday, opening a seven-day window for clubs to trade for Paxton. The veteran started 19 games for Boston in 2023. It is currently unclear what Los Angeles would get in return for Paxton.
Red Sox Reunite With Former Starter James Paxton
Paxton started 18 games for L.A. this season, posting a 4.43 ERA in just over 89 innings. He led the majors in walks with 48, averaging nearly five per nine innings. His 1.455 WHIP is the second-worst mark of his career. Despite those numbers, he had a strong 8-2 record with the Dodgers. Paxton is in his 11th MLB season, debuting in 2013 with the Seattle Mariners.
The left-hander had a nice start to the season, sporting a 2.84 ERA over his first eight outings. He allowed six or more runs twice in June, though, blossoming that statistic to 4.28 by the end of the month. His worst start came on June 30 against the San Francisco Giants, where he allowed nine runs on 12 hits in four innings of work. Paxton has a 5.26 ERA in three July starts. He went five innings or less in all three appearances. His last start was against Boston. He threw five innings of three-run ball on July 21, allowing four hits and four walks.
The Canadian spent last year on the Red Sox roster. Paxton had a 4.50 ERA across 96 innings and had a 7-5 record. He recorded 101 strikeouts, his highest since 2019. Paxton also posted an ERA+ above 100 for the first time since that season and walked just 3.1 batters per nine innings, his least since 2018. Paxton left Boston after the 2023 season and signed a 1-year, $7 million deal with Los Angeles over the winter.
What This Means For The Red Sox
Although the return is currently unknown, this seems like a buy-low option for a Boston team looking to add at the deadline. The Red Sox have been looking for left-handers to complement their current rotation, and Paxton was linked to the organization once DFA’ed by the Dodgers. His numbers may not be impressive over the last two seasons, but Boston needs options and depth at an extremely important position. Paxton is used to winning baseball after being a part of one of the best teams in the league this year. His durability may be a concern, with Paxton unable to throw over 140 innings since 2019. But a move for a familiar face, and one that has tons of experience, should have the chance to benefit the Red Sox in the long run.
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