Dodgers News: James Paxton Opens Up About His Struggles in Second Half of 2023 Season

Among the Los Angeles Dodgers’ busy offseason was the signing of James Paxton, who comes to Los Angeles on a one-year, $7 million contract with incentives.

Paxton spent the 2023 season with the Boston Red Sox, where he spent much of his time injured. After recovering from Tommy John surgery, Paxton suffered a lat tear that kept him out for all of the 2022 season. In 2023, he began the year with a hamstring issue. He came back and won the American League Pitcher of the Month in June after a dominant month that saw him have a 1.74 ERA in five starts, but struggled for the rest of the season.

During his final nine starts of the year, Paxton posted a 2-4 record with an abysmal 6.98 ERA. Paxton’s season was then cut short once again after suffering a knee injury.

Paxton explained his struggles toward the end of 2023 after reporting with the pitchers and catchers to the Dodgers Arizona training complex.

“The second half, I started to get pretty tired,” Paxton said. “It had been 2 and a half years since I pitched, and the innings kind of built up there. I was going pretty deep into ballgames there for quite awhile and I just ran out of gas there at end. Then my body started to bark at me a little bit, my knee and stuff like that. So I wasn’t able to execute pitches the way that I needed.”

via Bill Plunkett of The OC Register.

Both Paxton and the Dodgers are hoping for much better from the 35-year-old veteran this season. The good news is Paxton appears to be healthier entering the season, and ideally a full spring training will set Paxton up for a strong season.

Photo Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

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