The Red Sox reportedly have made another move to bolster their pitching depth.
Four days after Boston signed Michael Wacha, the Red Sox reportedly handed out another one-year deal, this time to James Paxton. Sportsnet 650's Chad Dey was the first to report the news, and ESPN's Jeff Passan followed up with details of the contract.
According to Passan, Paxton will earn a base salary of $10 million for the 2022 season and the deal comes with a two-year club option.
Paxton was limited to one start last season with the Seattle Mariners, an outing that only lasted 24 pitches due to elbow discomfort. The veteran left-hander ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery in late April, but he's expected to be ready to pitch in the upcoming season.
Red Sox fans are pretty familiar with Paxton, as he spent two seasons with the Yankees before going back to Seattle for a second stint. He was a 15-game winner with New York in 2019 and posted a 3.82 ERA.
In fact, Paxton never has had an ERA above 4 in a season in which he made 13 or more starts. His best season to date was with the Mariners back in 2017 when he went 12-5 with a 2.98 ERA.
Boston was in need of a left-hander in the rotation after losing Eduardo Rodriguez to the Detroit Tigers in free agency. Paxton could be an above-average replacement if he's able to find his old form.
