Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton (calf) told WEEI's Rob Bradford on Wednesday that he plans to retire this offseason. Paxton has decided to call it quits after finishing the 2024 season on the 60-day injured list with Boston due to a partial tear in his right calf. The 35-year-old Canadian southpaw has had trouble staying healthy in recent years and won't attempt a comeback. He began the year pitching in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting rotation and even won nine games, but he was eventually cut after posting a 4.43 ERA (4.99 FIP) with a 1.45 WHIP and a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate in 18 starts. Paxton made only three starts in Boston before injuring his calf. Paxton entered the big leagues in 2013 with the Seattle Mariners and spent six seasons with them before bouncing around with the Yankees, M's, Red Sox and Dodgers in 11 total seasons.

The Boston Red Sox moved left-hander James Paxton (calf) to the 60-day injured list on Friday, likely ending his season due to a partial calf tear. The Red Sox also selected the contract of left-hander Joely Rodriguez from Triple-A Worcester and optioned right-hander Greg Weissert to Worcester in other moves. The 35-year-old Paxton was initially placed on the 15-day IL on Aug. 12, but even at that time, it was pretty obvious that he wasn't going to have enough time to make a return in 2024. Paxton began the year with the Los Angeles Dodgers and made 18 starts with them. He's gone 9-3 this year but with a 4.40 ERA (4.79 FIP), a 1.44 WHIP and a 73:50 K:BB in 100 1/3 innings over 21 starts. Not only has his strikeout rate dropped under 20% this year, but he's also sporting a career-worst 11.4% walk rate. Fantasy managers holding him in deeper leagues can let go.

Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton (calf) has a partially torn right calf and is running out of time to be able to pitch again this year for the Red Sox. Given Paxton's long history of injuries and reputation as a slow healer, it would be almost a miracle to see him back in the big leagues again in 2024. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw did go 9-3 this year with the Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, but everything else was mostly a disappointment, especially his career-low 16.7% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate in 21 total starts covering 100 1/3 innings pitched. Fantasy managers that have him rostered in redraft leagues should let go at this point. Either Josh Winckowski or Cooper Criswell will likely step into Paxton's rotation spot in Boston moving forward.

The Boston Red Sox placed left-hander James Paxton (calf) on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a right-calf strain and reinstated right-hander Brayan Bello from the paternity list in a corresponding move amid a flurry of roster moves to begin the new week. The oft-injured Paxton had to be helped off the field on Sunday during his start against the Houston Astros and is likely going to need more than two weeks to heal up. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw will be eligible to return from the IL on Aug. 27. He's gone 9-3 in 2024 but with a 4.40 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and only 73 K's in 21 starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Red Sox. The Canadian southpaw won't be back in Boston's starting rotation until some time in September.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher James Paxton (calf) is dealing with a right-calf strain, according to Rob Bradford of Audacy Sports. The southpaw left Sunday's game in the first inning after suffering the injury. He was seen limping off the field and needed assistance on the dugout stairs. While the 35-year-old does not have a timeline, he could be expected to miss several weeks of action. Prior to the injury, he held a 4.42 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP with a 73:50 BB:K through 99 innings of work on the year with the Dodgers and Red Sox. If Paxton were to be out of the rotation for an extended period, Cooper Criswell would likely reclaim a starting role.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher James Paxton has been pulled from Sunday's outing against the Houston Astros. The veteran southpaw limped to the dugout after recording two outs and giving up two hits. The exact injury is uncertain right now but there should be more information on Paxton soon. In his absence, right-hander Lucas Sims replaced Paxton on the mound. Fantasy managers will have to check back for another update on Paxton.UPDATE: Paxton limped off the field and was favoring his right leg while having to be helped down the dugout stairs. It's unclear how serious his injury is, but knowing his extensive injury history, there's a good chance the veteran southpaw will be forced to miss time.

The Boston Red Sox are acquiring left-hander James Paxton from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, according to sources. It's unclear what the Red Sox have shipped to LA in exchange. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw spent last season with the Red Sox and will now return to Beantown after being designated for assignment by the Dodgers recently. In 89 1/3 innings for the Blue in 2024, Paxton was mostly ineffective, posting a 4.43 ERA (4.96 FIP) with a 1.45 WHIP, 64 strikeouts and a league-high 48 walks in his 18 starts. He wasn't much better last year for the BoSox, going 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA (4.68 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with a 101:35 K:BB in 96 innings and 19 starts. In addition to losing his control this year, Paxton was also sporting a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate. The move to Boston isn't likely to suddenly help Paxton find his stuff.

Left-hander James Paxton is being designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, according to sources. In his place, right-hander River Ryan is expected to be added to the 40-man roster in order to make his first big-league start on Monday versus the division-rival San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers don't have the space for the 35-year-old veteran left-hander with both Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) and Tyler Glasnow (back) coming off the injured list this week to rejoin LA's starting rotation. Paxton picked up his eighth win of the season on Sunday versus the Boston Red Sox, but overall he was pretty inconsistent, posting a 4.43 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate and bloated 12.3% walk rate in 89 1/3 innings over his 18 starts in Hollywood. Paxton is unlikely to stay with the Dodgers if he clears waivers.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton had one of his worst outings of his career during Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. It didn't seem like anything went right for Paxton throughout this contest. The southpaw gave up nine runs on 12 hits over four innings of work in the loss. He struck out four batters while allowing a pair of walks as well. Before this, Paxton was actually pitching fairly well over his last few outings. He'll look to rebound before the All-Star break against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher James Paxton (7-1) struck out eight over seven innings during Monday's 9-5 win at the Colorado Rockies. Paxton also recorded his sixth quality start, allowing two hits, one earned run, and one walk while picking up his seventh win of the season. Overall, Paxton has a 3.65 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP, striking out 43 and walking 33 in 66 2/3 innings. Fantasy managers of Paxton will have to wait until next Monday for his next start, an ideal matchup at the White Sox, where he is projected to square off against Chicago ace Garrett Crochet.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton pitched six innings of shutout ball in Saturday's 5-0 victory over the Padres, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out four on the way to earning his fifth win of the season. The veteran has an impressive 2.58 ERA on the season and a low HR/FB% of 6.3%, but the 1.41 WHIP and -1.2% K-BB% are a bit concerning. A high 86.3% LOB% with such a low strikeout rate and a FIP of 4.91 indicate things could fall apart quickly for the southpaw. Nevertheless, if he can continue to walk the tightrope, the Dodgers should continue to provide enough run support for the 35-year-old to collect some additional wins.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton recorded his fourth win of the season against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in a 5-1 victory. Paxton went 6 innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three. He has now recorded back-to-back wins in two starts. The 35-year-old has pitched 32 innings in six starts, holding a 3.06 ERA with a 5.01 K/9 and 6.68 BB/9 rate. His next projected start is against the San Diego Padres, who had already given him troubles earlier this season. Despite surrendering eight walks in last start against the Padres, Paxton has pitched well enough recently to be used as a streamer in most league formats.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton faced off against the San Francisco Giants for his first start as a Dodger on Monday. Paxton threw five scoreless innings, giving up four hits while showing spotty control with five walks in addition to five strikeouts. Despite his spotty control, he kept the Giants off the board while also earning himself the win as the Dodgers scored nine runs in the game. Paxton should have another start this week against the Chicago Cubs. Paxton is worth starting in all leagues, as he plays for a stacked Dodgers team and should pick up a lot of wins for fantasy squads on the cheap.

With a suggestion from the team, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton has modified his cutter this offseason to more of a bullet slider, which is a harder, tighter slider than the traditional slower sweeper. "It helps [Paxton] keep the ball down and underneath the swing of a right-handed hitter and down and away from a left-handed hitter," assistant pitching coach Connor McGuinness said. The oft-injured veteran southpaw will have extra rest to open the year as the Dodgers go with a six-man starting rotation, and he said his "body feels really good" in spring training. The 35-year-old made just six starts from 2020-22 but managed to make 19 starts in 2023. When healthy, Paxton's strikeout upside makes him worth considering as rotation depth in deeper fantasy leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton said he "has no doubt" that he'll be ready to go for Opening Day. The Dodgers and Paxton tweaked his one-year deal to be incentive-laden after issues came up during his physical due to ongoing knee injuries and his Tommy John history. However, the veteran southpaw thinks he'll be ready to roll to begin the regular season. How long the 35-year-old Canadian will stay healthy is the question. After making just six starts from 2020-22, Paxton somehow managed to make 19 starts for the Boston Red Sox in 2023 and had a 4.50 ERA (4.68 FIP), 1.31 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 96 innings. Paxton will be pitching for one of the best teams in baseball and will have a guaranteed rotation spot, but he's one of the most injury-prone players, let alone pitchers, in the game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers lowered the guarantee in their agreement with left-hander James Paxton due to an unspecified health concern, according to sources. The one-year deal that was announced on Monday still has a maximum potential value of up to $13 million with performance and roster bonuses, but the Dodgers and Paxton's agent, Scott Boras, agreed to reduce the total guarantee from the originally reported $11 million to $7 million. The adjustment also doesn't change the Dodgers' luxury tax standing. The 35-year-old southpaw had a bounce-back season in 2023 with the Red Sox after pitching only 21 2/3 innings the previous three seasons and he still has strikeout upside when healthy, but his extensive injury history makes him only a late-round flier in fantasy for starting-pitching depth.

Free-agent left-hander James Paxton and the Los Angeles Dodgers officially agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal on Tuesday that includes a $1 million Opening Day roster bonus and another $1 million in performance-based incentives. The oft-injured 35-year-old Canadian hurler went 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA (4.68 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with 33 walks and 101 strikeouts in 2023 for the Boston Red Sox in 19 starts, his first year pitching in the big leagues since 2021. He was sharp in the first half before posting an ERA near 7.00 in the second half while dealing with a knee injury. Paxton should be healthy in spring training and will have more fantasy upside with the move to LA if he makes the team's starting rotation, but he's also a huge health risk, having thrown only 117 2/3 innings since 2020.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly working on a one-year deal worth around $12 million with free-agent starting pitcher James Paxton, per MLB.com's Theo DeRosa. The 35-year-old lefty would add some depth to a rotation that has undergone major changes this offseason. Paxton was able to make 19 starts last season with the Red Sox, going 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 24.6% strikeout rate. Injuries have been the biggest preventative of Paxton returning to fantasy relevancy. Therefore, while the Dodgers would be a great landing spot for him, fantasy managers should be wary of trusting him in the early going.

Free-agent starting pitcher James Paxton is drawing interest from the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The veteran southpaw started 19 games for the Red Sox last season, putting up a solid 7-5 record to go along with a 4.50 ERA, 1.313 WHIP, and 101:33 K/BB over 96 innings. The 19 turns in the rotation were his most since 2019, so it was nice to see the oft-injured pitcher show some durability. He could be a nice, affordable one-year option for any team looking to bolster their starting rotation.

The Boston Red Sox have had "consistent communication" with free-agent starting pitcher James Paxton, per MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo. While a reunion with the veteran lefty is possible, it is not currently a certainty. The 35-year-old made 19 starts with the Red Sox in 2023, going 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 24.6% strikeout rate. Paxton was once a higher-end fantasy rotation piece, but injuries have derailed things for him and he has not produced an ERA lower than 4.00 since 2019. However, the Red Sox need starting support, so it may make sense to bring Paxton back. At this point in his career, Paxton is not a reliable fantasy option and could at best be thought of as a late-round flyer or a scout-team option in deeper leagues for now.