It's easy to view the negatives that come with all the injuries Boston Red Sox pitcher James Paxton has racked up throughout his career.
But the 6-foot-4, 227-pound left-hander squeaked out a positive development among the dark injury clouds. While the 34-year-old has become far too familiar with the grueling rehabilitation process, he didn't have the usual wear and tear on his arm that pitchers face with him being sidelined.
"My arm feels great," Paxton told reporters earlier this week, per The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham. "I've had, unfortunately, many injuries in my career. So maybe I have it all saved up for a few more years. Body feels really good right now."
Healthy once again, the Red Sox activated Paxton on Wednesday and he's set to pitch Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park, which will be the first time he has pitched in the majors since April 2021. The start will also double as his Red Sox debut.
After straining his hamstring in spring training, Paxton made six appearances, five of which were as a starter, this season with Triple-A Worcester. It was a mix bag of results for the veteran hurler, who posted a 2-3 record to go along with a 6.23 ERA as he yielded 15 earned runs in 21 2/3 innings. He also issued 16 walks while recording 26 strikeouts.
But Paxton feels well-equipped to get back on a mound and take on a big-league lineup.
"I felt like I made progress each time out figuring out different things," Paxton said. "I feel like I'm ready to compete at the big-league level now."
