Los Angeles Dodgers officially sign former Red Sox left-hander to 1-year deal
The Dodgers officially sign left-hander James Paxton to a one-year, $12 million deal, per New York Post’s Jon Heyman. The team was reportedly close to a deal with the veteran lefty on Monday night.
Paxton will join a strong Dodgers rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller.
The Dodgers are adding an experienced veteran in Paxton who spent last season with the Red Sox. During the 2023 campaign, the southpaw posted a 4.50 ERA in 19 games.
Paxton missed the start of the 2023 season dealing with a hamstring injury in spring training. In total he posted a 7-5 record, pitching 96 frames with a 1.313 WHIP and 101 strikeouts.
Upon making his Red Sox debut, Paxton was dominant over his first 10 starts, where he posted a 2.73 ERA with 64 strikeouts over 56 innings. He then struggled in the second half after being tagged for 31 earned runs and 52 hits over 40 innings. The lefty posted a 6.98 ERA over that span.
Durability has been a concern for Paxton overt the last handful of seasons. From 2020 to 2022, the Canadian lefty was limited to just six games. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 and dealt with a lat tear while rehabbing in 2022.
This winter, the Dodgers have been one of the most active teams in the offseason. Los Angeles has spent over $1 billion in free agency signing the Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández.
Despite adding Paxton to the mix, it doesn’t stop the Dodgers from adding additional depth to the rotation such as Clayton Kershaw.
The future Hall of Fame lefty is currently a free agent, is rehabbing from shoulder surgery on this throwing shoulder. If the veteran wants to return next season, he is looking at returning in the second half.
Dodgers president Andrew Friedman told reporters in October that he “absolutely” wants Kershaw to return to the club in 2024.
For now the addition of Paxton gives the Dodgers a veteran left-hander in the rotation heading into next season. With spring training just weeks away, Los Angeles could still dip into free agency and tweak their roster ahead of the upcoming season.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
For additional Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, MLB and NFL content follow Beyond the Monster on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.
