3 Former Red Sox that Boston Will Regret Letting Walk in 2024

2. LHP James Paxton

James Paxton's time with the Red Sox was filled with twists and turns, to say the least.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021, Paxton joined the Red Sox on a one-year, $10 million deal ahead of the 2022 campaign. Although he had only started six games in the two previous seasons, the hope was that the Canadian southpaw would return to form in Beantown.

After injuries sidelined him for the entire 2022 season, too, the Red Sox re-signed Paxton to give him another chance in 2023. He still missed games here and there but wound up making 19 starts — his most since 2019 — and going 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. His play was up and down throughout the year, however, Paxton made it clear he's still an MLB-caliber pitcher.

But like Turner, the Red Sox allowed Paxton to test his worth as a free agent and it resulted in his signing a one-year, $7 million contract with the LA Dodgers. It's a shame because I would've liked to have seen what he can do with another season in Boston. After all, he was fantastic at Fenway Park in 2023, pitching to a 3-1 record, 3.16 ERA, and 49 strikeouts across 42.2 innings.

Maybe Paxton will live up to his new contract with the Dodgers, maybe he won't. All I know is that the Red Sox will kick themselves in the pants if he returns to his 2017-2019 form — especially when you consider that Boston's starting rotation had the ninth-worst ERA in the Majors last year.

Signing Lucas Giolito certainly helps improve the rotation for 2024, however, the squad could've been better with Paxton in the mix, too.