SEATTLE – The Big Maple returns to the Mariners. James Paxton has agreed to a one-year deal with Seattle for the 2021 season pending a physical, a source told MLB.com on Saturday. The club has not confirmed the deal.
Paxton, who was called up by and spent six seasons with Seattle from 2013-18, will make $ 8.5 million in salary, with performance incentives that could put his deal up to $ 10 million based on the number of games he rolls, told one source to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. That in many ways makes the deal a big win-win for both parties.
Here’s why for Paxton: Despite all of his accolades as a top-of-the-rotation-type of starter, the 32-year-old has suffered significant injuries throughout his eight-year career, including a left bender strain last season and back surgery. . last February. With a one-year deal, he can restore his value and get back on the market the next off season with the chance to land a longer and richer deal if he can show he’s healthy and effective.
And for the Mariners, they’re getting a big upside arm that could potentially eat some much-needed innings and build a bridge to their younger arms, who will have their workload limitations and the burden of getting back to a 162-game season. They also bring in a veteran who has since gained post-season experience pitching for the Yankees, an esteemed veteran experience that could be tremendous for their young core.
According to MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi, the Mariners have their eyes on Paxton, and they were among the 20 clubs that watched the leftists throw a bullpen session in Bellevue, Washington, around Thanksgiving. Paxton, who averaged 92.1 mph on his fastball in 2020, down from 95.4 mph in ’19, hit 94 mph that day. He also attracted interest from the Blue Jays off-season, and was linked to the Phillies, Cardinals and Mets.
Paxton should come in second in the rotation of the Mariners, behind Marco Gonzales and ahead of Justus Sheffield, who was the esteemed return to the trade that sent Paxton to the Yanks in November 2018. That deal led in many ways to the Mariners current remodel, as it was CEO Jerry Dipoto’s first major transaction in what has since been billed as the off-season “step back”.
After the Paxton domino fell, Seattle shared Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó to the Mets in a blockbuster that brought back No. 1 prospect Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, who will enter camp and compete for a back-end spot on the rotation from Seattle, which is up front. office has said six pitchers instead of the standard five. It’s unclear whether the Paxton acquisition will affect those plans, but most likely not.
At his best when healthy, Paxton is one of the best left-handed starters in the American League, with a career of 3.58 ERA and 114 ERA +. His highlight came on May 8, 2018, when he pitched a no-hitter for the Mariners against the Blue Jays in his home country of Canada.
But he’s never pitched more than 160 1/3 innings in a season or hit the 30-start plateau, and he’s limited to 20 or fewer starts in all seasons except three, including only five in the shortened 2020 campaign. He’s on the injured list for knee, back, chest, elbow, and latissimus dorsi injuries dating back to ’14.
That’s why Paxton’s November bullpen session was important. Tigers left-handed Matthew Boyd, a Seattle resident who was training with Paxton off-season, recently told MLB Network Radio that “whoever gets it gets a bargain.”
“And he’s pumping the ball now, too,” Boyd said. “He looks better than ever before. We dived into a number of things, breaking down fastballs and understanding the direction of rotation and all that. His ball just went away. It’s fun to catch. … Whoever gets it, gets an ace. “
Paxton is Seattle’s second major takeover this week, after the club reached an agreement with closer Ken Giles on Thursday. Giles is recovering from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in October, which will leave him sidelined throughout 2021. But Saturday’s move is much more for now, and it’s another sign that the Mariners are trying to move forward.