The Seattle Mariners agreed to an agreement with initial pitcher James Paxton for one year, in the amount of $ 8.5 million, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. The deal could reach $ 10 million with $ 1.5 million in incentives, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
CBS Sports ranked Paxton as the 18th best free agent this winter. Here’s what we wrote about the southpaw:
There is an alternate reality where Paxton is in a better place after staying healthy and having his normal season. (Gee, we’d all be in a better position in those conditions.) Unfortunately, that aspect of his existence made him lose three miles of his fastball and throw just 20 innings before being shut down due to a flexing tension. There is no telling where the injury takes you forward, which means that the range of potential results here extends from someone who is an above average beginner to someone who has a scar from Tommy John surgery.
Paxton, 32, has spent the past two seasons with the New York Yankees. Paxton struggled in 2020 before falling with a forearm injury. Last December, the southpaw played for 20 MLB teams in a showcase where he reached 94 mph, so he appears to be fully recovered. Paxton had 3.82 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 186: 55 K: BB in 150 2/3 entries in 29 Yankees matches in 2019.
He pitched for 6.64 ERA (65 ERA +), 1.48 WHIP with 26 eliminations against seven walks in 20 1/3 entries in five games in the regular season. Now, he will return to the Mariners after the club negotiated him with the Yankees after the 2018 season. Paxton will join a Mariners rotation that includes Marco Gonzales, Justus Sheffield, Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Dunn, as he expects a recovery campaign in 2021.