Due to Tommy John surgery and a lat strain, James Paxton won’t pitch for the Red Sox at all in 2022
James Paxton’s first season in a Boston Red Sox uniform is over before it’s even begun.
On Thursday afternoon, Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe reported that Paxton has a Grade 2 tear in his lat and is officially out for the year. The update from Alex Cora comes exactly one week after he left his first rehab start in Florida with lat tightness after only making two outs.
Paxton last pitched in the majors in April 2021 before needing Tommy John surgery, but before that, he’d been one of the game’s most steady pitchers, posting a 3.50 ERA over 131 starts, with 803 strikeouts across 733 innings of work between his debut in 2013 and his last full season in 2019.
Banking on a comeback, the Sox signed Paxton to a one-year, $10M guaranteed deal. Knowing that he wouldn’t be ready until midseason, at best, they also included a two-year club option that would keep him under contract through 2024. If he returned to form, they’d have him at a great price.
But if the Sox don’t exercise his option, Paxton can opt into his; the Sox also gave him a $4M player option for next season. Given that he’s missed almost two full years in the majors, sticking with Boston might be his best bet to get paid.
At this point, it’s hard to even keep track of how many injuries have ruined a promising Sox season. Half the pitching staff is on the Injured List. Paxton and Chris Sale are out for the year, and the latter didn’t even throw six full innings in the big leagues this season.
How many injuries does this team need to sustain before we accept that it’s been over for a while?
Key changes to look for on the Boston Red Sox 2023 schedule
The Red Sox 2023 schedule is unlike any schedule in franchise history. The Sox will face every MLB team and play fewer games against the AL East.