Dodgers Nearing Deal With James Paxton
The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to finalizing a deal with left-hander James Paxton. The one-year pact would guarantee Paxton around $12MM and include performance bonuses based on starts.
Dodgers Rotation Depth and Need for Paxton
The Dodgers, known for their aggressive approach in free agency, have committed a significant amount of money, but they still have concerns about their rotation depth. Shohei Ohtani will not be pitching in 2024 due to elbow surgery, and while they have added Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow to join Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller, there is still some risk associated with this quartet of pitchers.
Yamamoto, although excellent in Japan, has yet to pitch in the majors, and Glasnow has a limited number of innings at the MLB level. Buehler missed last season due to his second Tommy John surgery, and Miller is relatively inexperienced with only 22 starts in the majors.
The Dodgers have also lost Julio Urías and Clayton Kershaw from their rotation, with Urías being a free agent and Kershaw currently unsigned. On top of that, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May will be sidelined next season due to surgeries. With these challenges, the Dodgers may have to rely on pitchers like Emmet Sheehan, Michael Grove, Ryan Yarbrough, or Gavin Stone to fill their fifth starter role.
In order to address these concerns, the Dodgers are working on a deal with James Paxton to secure the final spot in their starting staff. However, Paxton has a history of injuries and is not a reliable source of innings. The 35-year-old has battled injuries throughout his career, including an elbow injury and a torn lat during his recent comeback attempt. Despite his ups and downs, Paxton showed promise with a 2.73 ERA and a high strikeout rate before the All-Star Break last year.
Dodgers' Strategy and Financial Flexibility
While some may argue that the Dodgers should pursue a more stable source of innings, their approach has been to prioritize upside plays despite the associated health risks. This strategy has been made possible by their financial capacity. Roster Resource projects the Dodgers' luxury tax commitments for the upcoming season to be around $301MM, making them one of the highest-spending teams in the league.
Signing Paxton would further increase the Dodgers' payroll and push them ahead of the Yankees and alongside the Mets for the highest payroll in the sport. However, it comes with a hefty tax bill as they have exceeded the luxury tax threshold for the past two years. The Dodgers would be taxed at a 110% rate, resulting in a $13.2MM fee for Paxton's deal.
Despite the financial implications, the Dodgers have the freedom to make these bold moves as they aim for their 11th NL West title in the last 12 years. Alongside other notable offseason pickups, Paxton would contribute to their all-in approach.
Conclusion and Other Dodgers News
As the Dodgers work on finalizing a deal with James Paxton, it showcases their commitment to bolstering their rotation depth. This move comes as Collin McHugh announces his retirement from MLB, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to sign Aroldis Chapman.
With Paxton potentially filling the fifth starter role, the Dodgers hope to address their concerns and solidify their starting staff for the upcoming season.
