SEATTLE – Big Maple is returning to the Mariners. James Paxton agreed to the terms of a one-year contract with Seattle for the 2021 season pending a physical examination, a source told MLB.com on Saturday. The club did not confirm the deal.
Paxton, who has been drafted and spent six seasons with Seattle from 2013-18, will earn $ 8.5 million in salary, with performance incentives that can bring his business to $ 10 million based on the number of games he plays, a source told MLB.com. Mark Feinsand. This makes the deal a big win for both sides in several ways.
For Paxton, here’s why: despite all his praise as the best starter, the 32-year-old struggled with significant injuries throughout his eight-year career, including a left flexor strain last season and back surgery. last February. A one-year contract allows him to restore his value and re-enter the market in the next off-season, with the chance to close a longer and richer deal if he can show that he is healthy and effective.
And for Mariners: they get a big head arm that can potentially eat some much-needed innings and bridge the gap for their younger arms, who will have workload limitations and the burden of returning to a 162-game season. They also bring in a veteran who has since gained post-season experience by pitching for the Yankees, valuable veteran experience that can be huge for his young core.
The Mariners had been keeping an eye on Paxton throughout the off-season, and they were among the 20 clubs that saw leftists do a bullpen session in Bellevue, Washington, near Thanksgiving, according to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com. Paxton, who averaged 92.1 mph on his fastball in 2020, down from 95.4 mph in 1919, was hitting 94 mph that day. He also attracted interest in this off-season from the Blue Jays, and he was connected to the Phillies, Cardinals and Mets.
Paxton is expected to take second place in the Mariners’ rotation, behind Marco Gonzales and ahead of Justus Sheffield, who was the winning return in the very trade that sent Paxton to the Yankees in November 2018. This business in many ways spawned the current A reconstruction of Mariners, as it was the first major operation carried out by general manager Jerry Dipoto in what has since been labeled a “receding” off-season.
After Paxton’s dominoes fell, Seattle traded Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó to the Mets in a blockbuster that brought back No. 1 contender Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, who will enter the field competing for a back-end spot in the rotation. Seattle, which the front office said will feature six pitchers instead of the standard five. It is unclear whether the acquisition of Paxton will affect these plans, but it probably will not.
At his best when healthy, Paxton has been one of the top left-handed players in the American League, with a career of 3.58 ERA and 114 ERA +. Its peak came on May 8, 2018, when it launched a no-hitter for the Mariners against the Blue Jays in their homeland, Canada.
But he never pitched more than 160 1/3 innings in one season or hit 30 games, and he was limited to 20 or fewer games in all but three seasons, including just five in the reduced 2020 campaign. list of injuries from knee, back, chest, elbow and latissimus dorsi injuries since 14.
That’s why Paxton’s bullpen session in November was significant. Tigers southpaw Matthew Boyd, a Seattle area native who has worked with Paxton during this off-season, recently told MLB Network Radio that “whoever catches him will win a robbery.”
“And he’s pumping the ball now too,” said Boyd. “He looks better than ever. We dove into some things, breaking fast balls and understanding the direction of the spin and everything. His ball just goes off. It’s fun to pick up. … Whoever catches it, will receive an ace. “
Paxton represents Seattle’s second significant acquisition this week, after the club agreed to a deal with Ken Giles on Thursday. Giles is recovering from the Tommy John surgery he suffered in October, which will keep him out for the year 2021. But Saturday’s move is much more for now, and is another sign that the Mariners are trying to make a move. step forward.