The Boston Red Sox made a move to acquire pitcher James Paxton from the Los Angeles Dodgers, a deal that could change the makeup of their pitching staff for the stretch run.
Boston entered the weekend 4.5 games behind the second place New York Yankees in the American League East and 6.5 games behind the first-place Orioles. Now, fans are wondering how Paxton will impact the Red Sox pitching staff after he was designated for assignment by the Dodgers before the trade.
The Paxton trade came amid Manager Alex Cora breaking the silence on a contract extension that will keep him in Boston through 2027. The Sox have also been linked to Cubs pitcher Jameson Tallion in the rumor mill.
Paxton has put up decent stats this season, but the Dodgers designated him for assignment earlier this week. Was this a good move for the Red Sox?
James Paxton adds much-needed depth to Red Sox staff
Sometimes, a change of scenery does a player a world of good and that could end up being the case for James Paxton. Oftentimes in MLB, a player returning to somewhere he previously had success can also be a good thing.
On the surface, the Red Sox's trade for Paxton may seem like a bad idea because of his Monday demotion by Dave Roberts' Dodgers. Looking a little deeper, it was revealed that the Dodgers called it a “difficult decision” and it came after Paxton struck out seven Red Sox over five-plus innings, giving up just two runs. Those are uncommon circumstances for a DFA.
The Red Sox gave up minor league infielder Moises Bolivar in the deal. Bolivar is just 17 years old and has batted .270 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 31 Rookie League games.
The Red Sox got a player who can help them now in exchange for someone who is not ready to do that, or even close to that ideal.
Alex Cora's pitching staff is seventh in the American League. Paxton will help to stabilize the rotation and add another arm who can help them to go pitch-for-pitch with Baltimore and New York down the stretch.
Handing out grades for James Paxton deal
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This deal is a win-win for both teams, and shows why they have both been at or near the top of their respective leagues for so long.
The Red Sox got a pitcher who is feeling slighted and eager to prove himself in the American League. The prospect of becoming a key player in a pennant race will revitalize and reenergize Paxton.
For the Dodgers, losing Paxton is not as big of a deal, considering that longtime star Clayton Kershaw just made his long-awaited return. The Dodgers' pitching staff was simply too crowded with Clayton Kershaw's return among others and they needed to let Paxton go for the purposes of moving forward in the best possible way.
Both teams deserve a grade of “A” for this trade.
