Red Sox’s James Paxton ‘Disappointed’ By Outing Vs. Blue Jays

BOSTON — James Paxton had an off night on the mound and it cost the Red Sox their series opener against the Blue Jays on Friday night.

Hosting a critical three-game series, Boston didn’t get off on the right foot. Paxton got the nod, but quickly dug himself a divot, allowing two home runs to the first three batters he faced, including one on the first pitch of the game. In the end, Paxton left the bump after five innings, surrendering four runs off nine hits (three homers) to Toronto in Boston’s 7-3 loss at Fenway Park.

“Disappointed that tonight went the way that it did,” Paxton said. “I need to do a better job out there. But like I said, back to work.”

Paxton added: “My rhythm felt fine. The ball just wasn’t jumping out my hand very well tonight. Really had to work hard in those last two innings to keep it close. Just, ball just wasn’t coming out good tonight.”

It was the first time since June 30 that Paxton had pitched on five days rest, which the veteran left-hander quickly rejected as a contributing factor to the costly output.

The trio of homers charged to Paxton was the most he’s allowed in four years, yet despite it all, Boston still had an opportunity. The offense never came through to uplift Paxton, who battled against a power-threat lineup in Toronto. Boston responded with its lowest runs (three) and hits (six) total this season versus the Blue Jays, making for a disastrous recipe — one that Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t pin on Paxton.

“I think location-wise he was off,” Cora explained. “Then that secondary pitch, the breaking ball, wasn’t great today. So he had to be creative and try to give us as much as possible, which he did, right? It was a 4-2 game when he came out so you tip your hat to him cause without his best stuff he was able to kind of give us a chance to win the game.”