Health Issue Led To Change In James Paxton's Deal With Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed James Paxton to a one-year deal, but the financial details of the contract changed due to a health issue. The guarantee went from $11MM to $7MM as a result, although the issue was not serious enough to cancel the deal. Paxton can still earn up to $13MM through bonuses if he meets certain conditions. Health concerns have been a recurring problem for Paxton throughout his career.
Unknown Health Issue Resulted in a Lower Guarantee
The Dodgers signed left-hander James Paxton to a one-year deal this week, though the financial details of the contract changed from the initial reporting. Per a report from The Athletic, an unknown health issue led to a lesser guarantee of $7MM instead of the reported $11MM.
It appears that some sort of health concern arose, which caused the Dodgers to reduce the guarantee by $4MM. However, the issue was not significant enough to cause the deal to fall through.
Paxton's History of Health Issues
Health problems have been a recurring theme throughout James Paxton's career. As he enters his 11th major league season at the age of 35, Paxton has never reached 30 starts or 161 innings pitched in a single MLB campaign.
In the past few years, Paxton has been plagued by flexor strains, Tommy John surgery, and a torn lat. Although he showed progress in recovering from these injuries, he still faced setbacks such as a hamstring strain and knee inflammation last year.
Despite not being at full strength, the Dodgers have decided to take a chance on Paxton due to his career 3.69 ERA and impressive strikeout and walk rates.
Uncertainty in the Dodgers' Pitching Rotation
The Dodgers' pitching rotation for the 2024 season features a mix of talent and uncertainty. While they have signed promising players from both domestic and international leagues, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, Tyler Glasnow, and Bobby Miller, there are concerns surrounding their injury histories and lack of MLB experience.
With the addition of Paxton, who is now known to be dealing with a health issue, the Dodgers will have to carefully manage their pitching staff. The possibility of re-signing Clayton Kershaw, who recently underwent shoulder surgery, adds further question marks to the rotation.
Despite the risks, the Dodgers have shown a willingness to sign talented players with injury concerns in the past, making them a team willing to take calculated risks.
