When the Boston Red Sox were looking for more pitching help at the trade deadline, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow called the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are now battling in the World Series, to acquire a pitcher with experience in Boston – James Paxton.
Paxton, who had just been on the Red Sox’s payroll for the prior two seasons (missing one due to an injury), returned to the team’s starting rotation, but his second stint in Boston was shortlived.
Less than an inning into his third start with the Red Sox, Paxton suffered an injury that ended his season and not long after, he announced that he’d be retiring from baseball.
This week, the lefty explained why he decided to call it a career.
I think that it’s hard to give it up when I feel like I can still go out there and compete,” Paxton said (via. the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast. “It’s not like it used to be. I can’t go out there and dominate like I could in say 2019. But, I feel like I can still go out there and compete and help a team win, so it’s hard to say ‘yeah, I’m done’ when I feel like I can go out and have success.
“But, at the same time, my family’s ready for me be to done. My kids are ready for me to be around more. Part of me is ready to be done too. So, I think that it’s a good time to kind of call it a career and put my focus on my family and my wife. I think it will be good for me.”
He went on to explain that he didn’t have any thoughts of coming back over the last month since the season ended, but there was a chance he could’ve returned out of the bullpen this season had the Red Sox made the ALCS.
Paxton’s career ends with a 3.77 ERA, 1.247 WHIP, 1,005 strikeouts and a 73-41 record over 11 seasons.
