Boston Red Sox pitcher James Paxton had every right to enter his start Monday against the Minnesota Twins with some trepidation.
It was Paxton’s first time facing the Twins at Target Field since being landed on and clawed at by a Bald Eagle, after all.
If you’re confused, take a look at the video below in which you can see the Canadian being harassed by the patriotic symbol prior to his Opening Day start against Minnesota when he was a member of the Seattle Mariners in 2018.
The folks at Target Field didn’t do much to ease any potential tension as they played eagle screeches over the public address system anytime the 34-year-old gave up a hit or walked a batter. Paxton didn’t seem to mind, though, laughing off the practical joke following the Red Sox win.
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“I did notice the eagle screeches when they got hits or I walked somebody,” Paxton said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I don’t know if this is the first time (I’ve been back) since then or not, maybe.
“It was just fun. It’s a fun little gig on me, the last time I was here an eagle landed on me which was quite the experience. It was fun.”
Paxton tuned out the noise and put together another quality start for the Red Sox, allowing three earned runs on three hits across 6 1/3 innings pitched, striking out seven. The start pushed his season ERA down to 3.29, the best among Boston’s starting pitchers.
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The night still revolved around the eagle noises, however, as Paxton explained his long history with the bird postgame.
“That wasn’t the first time, when the eagle landed on me, that I held an eagle,” Paxton said. “I had been somewhere else where they had an eagle where we could hold them, with the actual holding thing.”
Is a career in ornithology in the cards for Paxton once he hangs up the spikes?
Featured image via Jesse Johnson/USA TODAY Sports Images
