James Paxton trade is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Red Sox – NBC Sports Boston

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The Boston Red Sox’ first move just before Tuesday’s trade deadline was a logical one.

They became an obvious fit for James Paxton after the Los Angeles Dodgers made the surprise decision to designate him for assignment on Monday. The veteran left-handed pitcher is familiar with the organization after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons in Boston. For the Red Sox, Paxton checks several boxes as a left-handed pitcher (their only left-handed starter) who can stabilize the back of the rotation.

And sure enough, first-year chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. got the deal done on Friday, bringing back “Big Maple” by sending minor-league infielder Moises Bolivar to L.A.

While there’s always a chance Bolivar could develop into a star, this was an easy move for Breslow. The Red Sox have a surplus of infield prospects, and the 17-year-old Bolivar isn’t one of the many high-end shortstops in the pipeline. He’s essentially a lottery ticket, one that Boston could easily trade for a pitcher of Paxton’s caliber.

Paxton fills a spot in the rotation that has been filled by swingmen Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski. The duo filled in admirably, but adding Paxton allows them to focus on bolstering a declining bullpen — another area in need of improvement before the deadline.

This was one of the lowest-risk, highest-reward trades the Red Sox could have made. That said, Paxton doesn’t come without his concerns. He’s struggled with injuries during his two seasons in Boston, missing all of 2022 while recovering from Tommy John and multiple stretches in 2023 with hamstring and knee issues. Ironically, he’s been the Dodgers’ most durable starter this season with 18 starts, just one fewer than his previous two seasons combined.

Besides injuries, Paxton’s biggest concern is walks. The 35-year-old has walked a National League-leading 48 batters in 89.1 innings, for a 12.3 percent walk rate.

Perhaps Paxton, like the rest of the rotation, will benefit from the presence of Andrew Bailey. Boston’s staff has far exceeded expectations with the help of their new pitching coach. There’s no reason to believe Paxton can’t follow suit.

While Paxton is a solid addition, fans are hoping it’s not the club’s only high-profile deadline move. The Red Sox still need pitching help and a right-handed bat to give them a leg up on other American League teams fighting for a Wild Card spot. As of Friday, Boston is just one game behind the Kansas City Royals in the Wild Card race and 6.5 games back in the AL East.

The 2024 MLB transfer deadline is Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. ET.

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