Paxton (calf) said Wednesday that he plans to retire after the season, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.
Paxton is currently on the 60-day injured list due to a tear in his right calf and won't be able to pitch again during the regular season, though he could be able to return for the postseason if the Red Sox are able to secure a wild-card spot. Either way, 2024 will mark the 35-year-old's final season in professional baseball, putting an end to his 11-year career. He'll finish with a career 3.77 ERA and 1.25 WHIP alongside 1,005 strikeouts through 951 innings.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Moves to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Red Sox transferring Paxton (calf) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
The 35-year-old was placed on the 15-day IL on Aug. 12 due to a partially torn left calf, and he won't be eligible to return before the end of the regular season. The Red Sox are currently 3.5 games back of the final wild-card spot in the American League, but there's an outside chance Paxton will be available in mid-October should Boston make a playoff run.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Has partially torn calf
Rotowire
Further testing revealed Paxton's right calf is partially torn, and it's unclear whether or not he'll be able to return in 2024, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Paxton was initially diagnosed with a calf strain but the injury is more severe than anticipated. A timeline isn't available for Paxton's return and with roughly six weeks left in the regular season, so it's not a guarantee he'll be back prior to the playoffs or be available for any potential postseason starts. Per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald the Red Sox plan on inserting Cooper Criswell (COVID-19 injured list) into the rotation in Paxton's place.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Placed on IL with calf strain
Rotowire
The Red Sox placed Paxton on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right calf strain, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Paxton suffered the injury during Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Astros and required assistance off the field. The southpaw was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, but the severity of the calf strain has not yet been revealed. The Red Sox are likely to turn to either Josh Winckowski or Cooper Criswell (COVID-19 injured list) to serve as their new fifth starter in place of Paxton, who is first eligible to return from the IL on Aug. 27.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Dealing with calf strain
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Paxton was diagnosed with a right calf strain after exiting Sunday's start against the Astros, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Paxton suffered the injury during the opening frame of Sunday's contest, as he recorded two outs and allowed two hits on five pitches before departing. The severity of the strain isn't yet known, but the initial diagnosis is still an encouraging development given how difficult a time the 35-year-old had leaving the field after the injury. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, Paxton was sporting crutches after the game and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, which could indicate that he's headed to the injured list.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Departs with injury Sunday
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Paxton was removed from Sunday's start against the Astros during the first inning due to a right leg injury, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The left-hander allowed two hits and recorded two outs before suffering the injury, and he could barely put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the field. The specifics of the situation are unclear, and Paxton's status should be updated by the team in the near future.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Solid in victory Monday
Rotowire
Paxton (9-3) earned the win over Kansas City on Monday, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four batters over six innings.
This was Paxton's second start since returning to Boston in a trade with the Dodgers in late July. The veteran left-hander struggled in his first outing with the Red Sox, but he was much better Monday, limiting the Royals to a pair of runs. Paxton departed after six frames with his first quality start since June 17 against Colorado. He has a shiny 9-3 record on the campaign, but his 4.42 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 69:49 K:BB over 93.2 innings aren't good indicators of sustained success.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Takes loss in return to Red Sox
Rotowire
Paxton (8-3) took the loss Tuesday against Seattle, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk across 4.1 innings. He struck out five.
Paxton ran into trouble in the fifth inning and didn't get much help defensively. There were a couple errors behind him and Paxton exited the contest with the bases loaded and one out, handing the ball off to Zack Kelly in what wound up being a five-run fifth inning. In his last five starts, Paxton has logged an 8.18 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 22 innings. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Royals on Monday.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Debuting for new team Tuesday
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Paxton is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Mariners at Fenway Park.
After acquiring Paxton from the Dodgers on Friday for minor-league infielder Moises Bolivar, the Red Sox cleared a spot for the veteran lefty in the rotation by moving No. 5 starter Cooper Criswell to the bullpen. Paxton has a long track record of success at the big-league level and offered some degree of fantasy utility with the Dodgers earlier this season with eight wins and a 4.43 ERA over 89.1 innings, but many of his underlying ratios (5.46 SIERA, career-worst 4.1 K-BB%) painted a far less rosy picture of his performance. The veteran lefty will be beginning his second stint with the Red Sox, as he previously spent the 2022 season with the club while recovering from Tommy John surgery before he turned in a 4.50 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 96 innings in 2023 during his lone healthy season in Boston.
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Red Sox's James Paxton: Shipping back up to Boston
Rotowire
The Red Sox acquired Paxton from the Dodgers on Friday for minor-league infielder Moises Bolivar, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Paxton's swing-and-miss stuff has disappeared this season, as he managed just 64 strikeouts over 89.1 innings with the Dodgers before he was designated for assignment earlier this week. However, he fanned 101 in 96 frames with the Red Sox just last season, and a return to Boston could help him recapture some of form he displayed in 2023. Paxton may step in and replace Cooper Criswell as Boston's No. 5 starter, though the Red Sox may have starting roles available for both pitchers if they expand the rotation to six men.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Could return to Boston
Rotowire
The Red Sox are in talks to acquire Paxton from the Dodgers, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Boston was immediately linked to Paxton after the left-hander was designated for assignment by the Dodgers and it sounds like a trade could come together soon. Paxton has collected an underwhelming 4.43 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 64:48 K:BB in 89.1 innings over 18 starts this season, but he did post a 101:33 K:BB across 96 frames in 2023 with the Red Sox.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Time in L.A. coming to end
Rotowire
The Dodgers are expected to designate Paxton for assignment Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Look for the Dodgers to make the transaction shortly before Monday's game against the Giants, with right-hander River Ryan set to be added to the 40-man roster ahead of what would be his MLB debut. Along with the addition of Ryan, the Dodgers are set to get Tyler Glasnow (back) and Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) back from the injured list later this week, leaving no room in the rotation for Paxton. Though he has a lengthy injury history, the southpaw hasn't missed a start this season, but his performance has taken a step backward in his age-35 campaign. While he's kept his fantasy value afloat by picking up eight wins in 18 outings, Paxton has supported the win total with a middling 4.43 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, and he's seen his strikeout rate drop precipitously (career-worst 16.4 percent). If the Dodgers aren't able to find a taker for Paxton via trade or waivers, expect him to become a free agent and catch on with another organization on a low-cost, one-year deal.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Picks up eighth win
Rotowire
Paxton (8-2) earned the win Sunday over the Red Sox, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out seven over five innings.
Paxton served up a two-run homer to Jarren Duran on just the third pitch of the game but was able to settle in from there and hold the Red Sox scoreless until the sixth inning. Control issues remain an issue for Paxton, as he's issued 15 walks and given up 17 runs over his last 22.2 innings. For the year, the 35-year-old owns a 4.43 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 64:48 K:BB in 89.1 innings. He lines up to face the Astros on the road over the weekend.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Struggles early in no-decision
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Paxton did not factor into the decision in Friday's 4-3 win against the Tigers, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks with one strikeout over 3.2 innings.
Paxton yielded three runs over the first two innings and was pulled with two outs in the fourth at 81 pitches. The southpaw's velocity was over one mph below his season averages on all of his offerings, and he has now failed to pitch beyond the fifth inning in each of his past four outings. He will take a 4.38 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 57:44 K:BB across 84.1 innings into the All-Star break.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Allows two runs over five frames
Rotowire
Paxton did not factor into the decision in a win over Milwaukee on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over five innings while striking out three.
Paxton allowed one run to come across in the opening frame before surrendering just three hits and a walk from that point on. However, one of those hits was a solo home run off the bat of Rhys Hoskins, marking the second start in a row in which the lefty's given up the long ball and third time in his last three outings. Paxton threw only 10 of his 21 first pitches for strikes on the night and walked multiple batters for the third straight start. He'll look to pick up the first win since June 17 (span of three starts) when the Dodgers travel to Detroit next week to take on the Tigers.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Crushed by Giants
Rotowire
Paxton (7-2) allowed nine runs on 12 hits and two walks over four innings Sunday, striking out four and taking a loss against the Giants.
Paxton gave up four runs through three frames before the Giants piled on with a five-run fourth inning. The veteran southpaw had a very odd month of June; he gave up six earned runs in 1.2 innings against the Pirates on June 5 but allowed just two total runs over his next three outings before Sunday's unraveling. Overall, he posted a 6.46 ERA this month, raising his season mark to 4.28 through 15 starts. Paxton's next start is currently lined up to be at home against the Brewers.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Effective again Monday
Rotowire
Paxton allowed three hits and three walks while striking out six batters over five scoreless innings in a no-decision against the White Sox on Monday.
Paxton needed 91 pitches to get through five frames, so he wasn't able to record a third straight quality start or hang around long enough for Los Angeles' offense to supply him a run. Nonetheless, the veteran left-hander was very effective, and he flashed some of the swing-and-miss stuff of his peak seasons with 18 whiffs. Since giving up a season-high seven runs (six earned) over 1.2 innings versus Pittsburgh in his first start of June, Paxton has surrendered just two runs across 18 frames over his subsequent three outings. The strikeout numbers have been improving too -- Paxton's two best punchout performances of the campaign have come in his past two starts.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Quiets Colorado at Coors Field
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Paxton (7-1) earned the win over the Rockies on Monday, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out eight batters over seven innings.
Paxton gave up a second-inning solo homer but otherwise dominated Colorado hitters, holding them to just one additional hit. The veteran hurler completed seven innings for the first time this season and notched his second consecutive quality start. Paxton also tallied a season-high eight punchouts -- three more than his previous top mark in 2024 -- and walked just one batter. There was some uncertainty about Paxton's role after two recent poor starts given that Bobby Miller (shoulder) is set to return this week, but with back-to-back strong outings and with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (shoulder) set to miss several weeks of action, Paxton's place in the rotation looks to be secure.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Cruises to win over Rangers
Rotowire
Paxton (6-1) got the win over the Rangers on Tuesday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out two over six innings.
Paxton's lone run against him came in the second inning on a sacrifice fly. He cruised the rest of the way from there, allowing just two more baserunners and did not allow another runner to get into scoring position. Tuesday was Paxton's first quality start since May 17 and his first win since May 11. His two hits allowed also tied his season low. The strikeout numbers have not been there for Paxton this season. He's topped four strikeouts just once this year and that came all the way back in his first start of the year. Still, he's been able to limit significant damage against him for the majority of the year and owns a 3.92 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 35:32 K:BB in 59.2 innings. The 35-year-old southpaw lines up to complete a two-start week against the Royals on Sunday.
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Dodgers' James Paxton: Rocked by Pirates
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Paxton (5-1) took the loss Wednesday, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits and two walks across 1.2 innings against Pittsburgh. He struck out two.
Paxton retired the side in the first inning but endured a nightmare second frame. He gave up a walk, three singles and a double to the first five batters he faced as part of a seven-run inning by the Pirates that Paxton didn't finish. The veteran lefty has been shaky over his last four starts, surrendering 15 runs over 15.1 innings while allowing multiple homers in two of those outings and Wednesday's start ballooned Paxton's ERA from 3.29 to 4.19. He'll look to get back on track with a scheduled start against the Rangers on Tuesday.
