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Predicting the outcome for every Red Sox option for 2023

By Gabrielle Starr

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 17: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox leaves the field with a dislocated pinky finger after getting hit by a line drive from Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 17: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox leaves the field with a dislocated pinky finger after getting hit by a line drive from Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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James Paxton, Boston Red Sox
FORT MYERS, FL – MARCH 16: James Paxton #65 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a portrait on Major League Baseball photo day on March 15, 2022 at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 16, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images) /

Declining James Paxton’s 2023 option won’t mean his departure

James Paxton never ended up pitching for the Red Sox in 2022.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2021, the Sox signed Paxton to a one-year deal for 2022, knowing that he would miss a significant portion of the season while he continued to recover. The significant portion turned out to be the entire year, as Paxton then suffered a lat tear during his first rehab game.

Now, the Sox are in a mess. Paxton’s contract includes a club option, but it’s not just for 2023. It’s an option for the next two seasons, totaling $26M. Scott Boras, you sly fox.

But wait, it gets worse. If the Sox decline this bloated option for 2023-24, Paxton also has a $4M player option just for 2023. Since Paxton has thrown 21 2/3 innings dating back to the beginning of 2020, he won’t exactly have teams lining up to sign him.

It seems like the Sox are stuck with him for one more year.

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