Could Red Sox Reunite With Surprise Recent DFA?
By Ryan Bunton
The Los Angeles Dodgers, coming off a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, made a surprise move on Monday, designating starting pitcher James Paxton for assignment. Paxton started against the Red Sox on Sunday, picking up the win while going five innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out seven.
Paxton, who pitched for Boston last season, is 8-2 this season with a 4.43 ERA. As the Red Sox have looked to beef up their roster for a playoff push, could Paxton be an under-the-radar move to reinforce the rotation?
Source: James Paxton, who’s 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA and has taken every turn in the rotation this season, has been DFA’d by the Dodgers. Surprising move, but probably rooted in needing bullpen help now and Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw coming back soon.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) July 22, 2024
First: @ByRobertMurray.
By designating the 35-year-old Paxton for assignment, the Dodgers now have seven days to trade him or place him on outright or unconditional release waivers.
Paxton signed with the Red Sox in Dec. 2021, but missed the entire 2022 season due to injury before making his debut for the club in 2023. Paxton pitched in 19 games for the Red Sox last season, logging a 7-5 record with a 4.50 ERA and an impressive 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The tall southpaw got off to a strong start to his 2023 campaign, winning American League Pitcher of the Month for June. However, Paxton's 2023 was a tale of two halves, as he posted a 6-2 record with a 3.34 ERA pre-deadline before faltering and putting up a 1-3 record with a 7.62 ERA post-deadline.
Paxton signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Dodgers in Jan. 2024.
Paxton would also provide a little bit of a different look for Boston's rotation, as the entire starting staff is comprised of right-handers. He has only pitched in three career postseason games, all coming in 2019 with the New York Yankees.
More Red Sox news and rumors:
feed