James Paxton Feels Good, Looking Forward to Throwing More ‘Breaking Stuff’ With Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers had one heck of an offseason. The front office landed star player after star player, and expectations are sky high for the 2024 Dodgers.
Although the star additions overshadowed the offseason, and rightfully so, L.A. also added some much-needed pitching depth. One of their signings that somewhat flew under the radar was the addition of left-handed pitcher James Paxton. Paxton will look for a healthy and rejuvenated season in Los Angeles.
The 35-year-old spoke to the media after his recent start, including L.A. Times staff writer Mike Digiovanna, and said he’s finally healthy and is looking to throw more of his breaking stuff this year.
“I felt like I was able to find my velocity with the fastball last year, and that was big for me, but I’m looking forward to using the breaking stuff more this year — I feel like I’m in a better spot with it,” Paxton said. “And I’ll be ready to throw more innings this year. The body feels really good, so I’m ready to go.”
—James Paxton, via L.A. Times
Health has been a primary concern for Paxton over the course of his career. Both he and the Dodgers hope to change that.
Paxton has had his fair share of injuries, including a knee injury he suffered in Sept. 2023 to end his season after missing all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John.
However, he’s a threat on any given outing when he’s right and on the mound, and showed that in June of last season, when he earned American League Pitcher of the Month after posting a 1.74 ERA and a 3-0 record in five starts.
Paxton is looking to find that version of himself for a full season (or at least a large part of the season) in L.A. If he remains healthy leading up to the regular season, he’ll likely factor in as the No. 4 starter for the Dodgers to open the year.
If his “breaking stuff” is firing on all cylinders, he’ll add another dimension to this already dominant rotation.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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