The stove is hot, and the Boston Red Sox have made their first move before the 2024 trade deadline. It'll bring a recent Red Sox back for a second go with the squad.
Veteran pitcher James Paxton was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 22, and chatter began instantly about potential interest from the Red Sox. The front office must've heard fans' speculations — the lefty will play out the rest of the season in Boston.
Paxton has pitched to a 4.43 ERA in 89.1 innings over 18 starts for LA. His strikeout and walk rates are on the lower end in the league — he's fanned 64 batters and walked 48 — but the Sox don't need him to be an ace. The Sox's defense has cleaned up since the error-riddled stretch of April and May, and runners on the base paths aren't the death sentence they used to be.
Paxton is a lefty and he'll bring diversity to the back end of the Red Sox's all-right-handed rotation. He's a veteran with postseason experience and could help Boston's younger hurlers learn on the fly for the rest of the year, especially because they're likely well-acquainted after being teammates for two seasons from 2022-23.
The Red Sox trade for lefty starter James Paxton, but another southpaw would help round out the staff
The Boston Red Sox are acquiring left-hander James Paxton in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN. Done deal.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 26, 2024
Paxton, 35, will return to Boston, where he spent the 2023 season, after being DFA’d by the Dodgers. In 89.1 innings this season, he has a 4.43 ERA.
But the Sox will need more than Paxton if they hope to make an impact in the race to the postseason. The veteran is known to be frequently injured and he hasn't pitched more than 97 innings in a season since 2019. The Sox sent minor league infielder Moises Bolivar to LA for Paxton, who was unranked among Red Sox prospects. Paxton is an inexpensive first addition that leaves Boston with plenty of money and resources to work with for other, bigger moves.
Another lefty arm would help the Sox's bullpen in the wake of recent injuries to Chris Martin and Justin Slaten, and it could take the place of some of Boston's other struggling relievers. Miami's Tanner Scott would be a fine choice as a late-inning arm, and he and Kenley Jansen could platoon as matchup-based closers.
The A's Scott Alexander, the Nationals' Robert Garcia or the White Sox's Tanner Banks could all be solid lefty reliever options, but the Sox will need to act fast. The Diamondbacks got the trade deadline underway with their trade for Marlins lefty reliever A.J. Puk last night, and the rest of the southpaws available will be hotly coveted.