Monday, January 22, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Sources say the Los Angeles Dodgers are close to signing left-handed starter James Paxton. Before spring training, the Dodgers needed a lefty starter to fill out their starting rotation. The signing of Paxton doesn’t affect the Dodgers signing of Clayton Kershaw who can’t pitch before the All-Star break.
At 35, Paxton is a power pitcher who had Tommy John surgery in 2021. Paxton has pitched for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox. Since 2013, Paxton has been injury prone. The Dodgers signed him to a $12 million one-year deal, and they hope he can stabilize their starting rotation.
On paper, the Dodgers have a formidable starting rotation for the 2024 season. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the probable ace, will need a six-man rotation until he adjusts to the American major leagues. Tyler Glasnow is a talented right-handed starter who hasn’t hurled more than 120 innings a season.
Coming off his second Tommy John surgery, Walker Buehler isn’t expected to pitch until May. No one knows how well he will perform when he returns. The Dodgers hope Buehler will regain his magic before October.
Bobby Miller will be entering his sophomore season in the major leagues, and no one knows how he will bounce back from his playoff debacle. He has enough talent to be a star in the major leagues, but does he have maturity to handle the disappointment from the playoffs? In 2023, Miller pitched the most innings of his career, and this may cause him to have an injury.
Emmet Sheehan is still developing into a major league starter. He has a great four-seam fastball. Since Sheehan needs more development, the Dodgers might want him to begin the 2024 season in the minor leagues. Signing Paxton will allow the Dodgers to send Sheehan to Triple-A.
Ryan Yarbrough’s unique talent is to succeed both as a starter and a reliever. Without Paxton, the Dodgers would be forced to make Yarbrough a starter. Now, the Dodgers can use Yarbrough as a safety net for when a starter gets injured.
