Paxton Signs With Boston – Not The Bruins!

The Red Sox added a proven starting pitcher who can bolster them for the 2022 stretch run and perhaps beyond, reaching agreement on a one-year, $10 million deal. 

Ladner’s lefty James Paxton who was drafted by Seattle in 2010, 132 overall in the 4th round has him moving east to the sights and sounds of a much larger city than Delta that sees him sign a two-year club option for the ‘23 and ’24 seasons, a source told MLB.com.

Paxton, a lefty, had Tommy John surgery in April and likely won’t pitch for Boston until midseason at the earliest.

If the options are picked up, the deal could wind up being worth close to $35 million.

Chad Dey of SportsNet in Canada and ESPN’s Jeff Passan were first to report the agreement, which is pending a physical.

The club has not confirmed the agreement.

Paxton made one start for the Mariners in 2021, allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings before leaving the game with elbow discomfort. Soon thereafter, the decision was made for him to have Tommy John surgery.

The 33-year-old spent his previous two seasons with the Yankees, including a 2019 season in which he went 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA. 

Paxton went 41-26 with a 3.42 ERA over the first six years of his career with Seattle, including a no-hitter on May 18, 2018, in his home country of Canada against the Blue Jays.

In 2017, Paxton came into his own for the Mariners, going 12-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 24 starts.

From 2017-19, Paxton was one of the best lefty starters in the game, posting a 38-17 record with a 3.54 ERA, holding opponents to a .230 average while striking out 550 over 447 innings.

Once Paxton returns from his rehab, he will join a Boston rotation that includes Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta and the recently-acquired Michael Wacha.

free-agent left-hander Rich Hill has agreed to a one-year deal to join the Boston Red Sox, a source told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Wednesday.

The agreement was first reported by The Boston Globe.

Hill, an 18-year veteran who will be 42 next season, was a combined 7-8 with a 3.86 ERA for the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays last season in 158 2/3 innings.

He was 6-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 19 starts for the contending Rays when they traded him to New York on July 23 for right-hander Tommy Hunter and minor league catcher Matt Dyer.

The deal comes one day after the Red Sox reached agreement with fellow left-hander James Paxton on a one-year, $10 million contract with a two-year club option, sources told Passan. Paxton, 33, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and should be back pitching in 2022.

This all comes about after the departure of Eduardo Rodrigues who went to Motor City and the Detroit Tigers who signed a 5-year deal worth reportedly $77 million dollars.

Who say’s money can’t buy happiness???