In their search to strengthen their starting staff, the Boston Red Sox are rumored to have a keen interest in left-hander James Paxton, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. Paxton, who was recently designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers, has a history with the Red Sox organization, having spent the 2022-23 seasons with them.

Injuries prevented Paxton from taking the mound for the Red Sox in 2022, but he exercised his player option for the 2023 season. He made a strong comeback that year, making 19 starts and throwing 96 innings – his highest numbers since 2019. While his ERA stood at 4.50, advanced metrics such as SIERA (4.11) and FIP (3.77) painted a more favorable picture. Paxton showcased his prowess by striking out 24.6% of his opponents, while maintaining an impressive 8% walk rate.

Since joining the Dodgers, however, Paxton's performance hasn't been as promising. While his 18 starts, 89 1/3 innings, and 4.43 ERA echo his numbers from the previous year with the Red Sox, his overall performance has declined. Notably, his fastball velocity has decreased from an average of 95.2 mph to 93.2 mph in 2024. Paxton's strikeout rate has dipped to 16.4%, and his walk rate has escalated to 12.3%. This season, he has struggled to generate as many swings and misses, allowing more hard contact and producing fewer ground balls compared to his time with the Red Sox.

Despite these setbacks, Paxton has showcased durability by making all 18 starts thus far without landing on the injured list. Additionally, from a financial perspective, he would be a highly affordable option for the Red Sox. Paxton is signed to a one-year deal, which includes a $4MM base salary, $2MM bonus for making the Opening Day roster, and $3MM singing bonus. The Red Sox or any other team acquiring him would only owe the prorated remainder of his $4MM salary, which currently amounts to approximately $1.48MM.

The Red Sox currently have Tanner Houck, Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, and Brayan Bello in their rotation, with Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski making starts as well. Unfortunately, they have been dealing with significant injuries to key pitchers such as Lucas Giolito, Garrett Whitlock, and Chris Murphy, who all underwent season-ending surgeries. Furthermore, Bryan Mata is currently on the injured list and recently suffered a setback. Adding Paxton to their rotation would provide stability and experience at the back end.

In addition to Paxton, the Red Sox have reportedly shown interest in the Chicago Cubs' Jameson Taillon as a potential trade option as the deadline approaches.