Red Sox Deadline Addition ‘Long Shot’ To Pitch Again This Season

BOSTON — The Red Sox had hopes of James Paxton stabilizing the starting rotation and helping out their playoff push.

But it looks like the Red Sox are only going to get three starts and 11 innings out of the veteran left-hander.

Paxton left just five pitches into his start Sunday due to a calf injury and Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed that Paxton suffered a partial tear of his calf muscle, which will most likely put an end to his season.

“Baseball aside, he’s having a good season, he’s healthy and then all of sudden this happens,” Cora said prior to Tuesday’s game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. “I think right away he had a pretty good idea of what was going on, but we’ll see where we’re at in a few weeks. Just stay the course, you know. Get the rehab going and hopefully he can contribute. But that looks like a long shot.”

Paxton knew it wasn’t good in the immediate aftermath of the injury. He said he heard a “pop” while attempting to go cover first base.

Paxton struggled in his first start this season with the Red Sox after they acquired him prior to the deadline from the Los Angeles Dodgers — the Dodgers initially designated him for assignment. But the 35-year-old notched his ninth win of the campaign when he tossed a quality start on the road against the Kansas City Royals, in which he allowed just two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out four.

Injuries have been far too common for Paxton during his time with the Red Sox. His first stint with Boston came after he signed in free agency prior to the 2022 season, but he didn’t pitch in the big leagues that year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Other setbacks limited Paxton to just 19 starts in 2023 with the Red Sox before he joined the Dodgers this past offseason.

Paxton is a free agent at the end of the season, meaning it could be a very abbreviated second stint for him with Boston.