This story was excerpted from Juan Toribio’s Dodgers Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.
LOS ANGELES — Coming into the offseason, the Dodgers’ greatest want was to improve a beginning rotation that struggled mightily within the Nationwide League Division Sequence towards the D-backs.
After touchdown Yamamoto and Glasnow — who would be the high two starters within the rotation — most individuals believed the Dodgers have been completed upgrading in that space. However that was by no means the case.
Los Angeles continued to pursue choices through commerce and free company. It’s no completely different than most years, when the Dodgers verify in on quite a lot of gamers. This winter, Shane Bieber, Dylan Stop, Corbin Burnes and Jesús Luzardo have been among the many arms they appeared into through commerce. Given how sluggish the commerce market has been, Los Angeles started to discover free-agent arms.
The membership was on the lookout for a back-end rotation sort who may present some depth and upside. The Dodgers have had blended outcomes on one-year offers. There was the immense success of Tyler Anderson, however there was additionally the Noah Syndergaard catastrophe final season.
This time round, Los Angeles was in a significantly better place to take a flier on a veteran pitcher. In the long run, the membership landed on left-hander James Paxton, who agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal.
Paxton has had numerous success, going 64-38 with a 3.69 ERA over 156 begins in his large league profession. When wholesome, the Canadian is as dependable because it comes. The difficulty for Paxton not too long ago, nevertheless, has been staying on the sphere.
Paxton missed the complete 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. He hoped to return within the second half of that season, however he sustained a Grade 2 lat pressure that ended his marketing campaign earlier than it obtained going. In ’23 with the Purple Sox, Paxton made 19 begins and posted a 4.50 ERA.
With the Dodgers, Paxton provides essential depth. Yamamoto is making a large transition to the Majors and has by no means been a part of a five-man rotation. Glasnow has been injury-prone all through his profession and has by no means logged numerous innings. Then there’s Walker Buehler, who will greater than probably not begin the season with Los Angeles as he continues to get wholesome.
Paxton will slot into the rotation with Yamamoto, Glasnow and Bobby Miller. Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone and Ryan Yarbrough may also compete for begins this spring. The Paxton transfer additionally doesn’t rule out the potential of the Dodgers reuniting with Clayton Kershaw. The probably future Corridor of Famer received’t be able to pitch till no less than August, and he nonetheless has a choice to make in free company.
Because the outdated adage goes, you possibly can by no means have an excessive amount of beginning pitching, and that’s why the Dodgers went out and signed Paxton to a one-year deal.
