Boston Red Sox Add To Their Rotation

The Boston Red Sox have signed starter James Paxton to a one-year, $10 million contract. It also comes with a club option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. If the Sox exercise the option, the 33-year-old could make up to $35 million in total.

Left-hander James Paxton and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $10 million contract with a two-year club option, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Paxton, 33, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and should be back pitching in 2022. @chad_dey was on it.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 1, 2021

Over the past two seasons, Paxton has only made six appearances due to multiple injuries. In 2021, he only pitched once in his reunion with the Seattle Mariners. In that contest, he lasted 1.1 innings and allowed one run. With that, he ended up receiving Tommy John Surgery and is currently still recovering from it. 

Before the injuries, though, Paxton was excellent. During the 2019 campaign with the New York Yankees, he had a 15-6 record, 3.82 ERA and 186 strikeouts. Before that, he was the ace of the Mariners during his first stint there and had multiple seasons with at least 10 wins.

This is a contract that could end up being a big win for the Red Sox, but Paxton needs to recover and find his old form from there. If he doesn't, it's only a one-year pact, so it wouldn't be the end of the world for them.

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