James Paxton (baseball)

James Alston Paxton (born November 6, 1988), nicknamed "Big Maple", is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox.

Paxton played college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Mariners and made his MLB debut for them in 2013. On May 8, 2018, Paxton pitched a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the first Canadian major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Canada. Following the 2018 season, Paxton was traded to the Yankees.

North Delta Blue Jays
Paxton attended Delta Secondary School in Ladner, British Columbia. He played for the North Delta Blue Jays of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League (PBL) and for Team Canada at the Junior National level, earning a bronze medal at the 2006 World Junior Baseball Championship in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. In his junior year, Paxton won 10 games and had a 1.51 earned run average (ERA) to go along with 100 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched. This led to him being named the top pitcher of the PBL and a first-team All-Star. After starting his senior year injured, Paxton finished the year with a 7–1 win–loss record and 65 strikeouts and 32 walks in 50 innings pitched. Both years Paxton's team won the league title and the B.C.'s Best Tournament.

University of Kentucky
After graduating from high school in 2006, Paxton attended the University of Kentucky, where he played college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). As a freshman, he led the Wildcats in appearances with 25 and had a 2–0 record in relief with one save.

In 2008 as a sophomore, Paxton worked his way into the starting rotation midway through the season and earned 11 starts while making 17 appearances. He finished the year 4–2 with a 2.92 ERA. That same year he pitched a complete-game shutout over Ole Miss to clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament and earn SEC Pitcher of the Week honors. However, he did not participate in the NCAA Tournament due to injury. That summer Paxton was invited to play collegiate summer baseball in the Alaska Baseball League where he pitched in four games with three starts, finishing with a 1–0 record and a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings. He struck out 12 batters and allowed opponents to hit just .179 against him.

Paxton started 13 games in 2009, finishing 5–3 with 115 strikeouts (5th best in school history) in $78 1/3$ innings. He drew the attention of Major League Baseball scouts as he was considered a possible first-round draft pick. Paxton was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year he was at Kentucky. He held a 3.3 GPA heading into his senior year as an accounting major.

Paxton was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round (37th overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. However, negotiations with the Blue Jays broke down over a dispute about his signing bonus and he did not sign by the deadline. Paxton had intended to return to Kentucky for his senior season, however the Blue Jays president Paul Beeston had told the press that he had been negotiating with agent Scott Boras instead of Paxton's family, which violated the NCAA rules and Paxton was subsequently ruled ineligible after an investigation. He sued the NCAA in an attempt to be reinstated, but he lost the lawsuit in January 2010 and withdrew from school one semester shy of graduation.

Grand Prairie AirHogs
After being ruled ineligible to return to Kentucky, Paxton signed with the Grand Prairie AirHogs in the independent American Association in 2010. There, he went 1–2 with a 4.08 ERA and 18 strikeouts in $17 2/3$ innings.

Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners selected Paxton in the fourth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft but due to a lengthy negotiation, did not sign with the Mariners until March 4, 2011 for a $942,500 signing bonus. He began his professional career in 2011 with the Clinton LumberKings of the Class-A Midwest League, before earning a June promotion to the Double A Jackson Generals of the Southern League. He finished with a combined 6–3 win–loss record, 2.37 ERA, 131 strikeouts, and 43 walks in 95 innings pitched, while allowing an opposing batting average of .215 in 17 games. Paxton, along with Alex Liddi, represented the Mariners at the 2011 All-Star Futures Game.

Paxton was invited to attend the Mariners' main spring training camp in 2012, but did not make the opening day roster and returned to Jackson, where he made 21 starts with a 9–4 record and 3.64 ERA. He played for the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League after the minor league season ended. For 2013, Paxton was promoted to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he made 26 starts and was 8–11 with a 4.45 ERA. He worked with the coaching staff to change his pitching mechanics to mirror that of Clayton Kershaw, resulting in an improvement in his performance.

On September 3, 2013, Paxton was promoted to the major leagues for the first time and debuted on September 7 when he started against the Tampa Bay Rays. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in six innings to earn the win. His first major league strikeout was of Desmond Jennings in the third inning. Paxton made three more starts and finished with a 3–0 record and 1.50 ERA.

Paxton began the 2014 season in the Mariners rotation, but after his second start of the season, he was placed on the disabled list with a left LAT strain. After a difficult rehab he finally rejoined the Mariners on August 2 and finished the season with 13 starts, a 3–4 record and a 3.04 ERA. Paxton's injury woes would continue into the 2015 season, hurting himself during agility drills in spring training and then was shut down on May 29 with a strained tendon on the middle finger of his pitching hand. After another long rehab he didn't rejoin the Mariners until September 13. Paxton made 13 starts for the second straight year, with a 3–4 record and 3.90 ERA.

In 2016, Paxton had a poor spring training, allowing five homeruns and a 10.80 ERA in 15 innings, causing him to be optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season. He made 11 starts in the minors, with a 3.73 ERA and was recalled on June 1 when Félix Hernández landed on the disabled list. He made 20 starts for the Mariners the rest of the season, with a 6–7 record and 3.79 ERA. Paxton started the 2017 season for the Mariners by not allowing a run over his first three starts, winning the American League Player of the Week Award for April 10–16. On May 5, he was placed on the disabled list due to a left forearm strain, returning on May 31. He pitched exceedingly well in July, going 6–0 and earning a share of the American League Player of the Week Award for July 24–30 and the AL Pitcher of the Month for July. However, on August 10, Paxton strained his left pectoral muscle pitching against the Los Angeles Angels, putting him on the disabled list once again. He returned on September 15 and finished the season with a 12–5 record and 2.98 ERA in 24 starts while tying for the major league lead in wild pitches, with 15.

On May 8, 2018, Paxton threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. He threw 99 pitches while issuing three walks in a 5–0 victory, becoming the second Canadian to throw a no-hitter (the first was Dick Fowler of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1945). He was also the first Canadian Major League pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Canada, and the first Seattle Mariners pitcher to throw a no-hitter in a road game. He finished the season 11–6 with a 3.76 ERA in 28 starts.

New York Yankees
On November 19, 2018, the Mariners traded Paxton to the New York Yankees for Justus Sheffield, Dom Thompson-Williams, and Erik Swanson. On April 21, 2019, Paxton became only the second Yankees pitcher (after David Cone in 1998) to strike out 12 or more batters in consecutive starts. In 2019 he was 15–6 with a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts, in which he struck out 186 batters in $150 2⁄3$ innings (11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings).

On February 5, 2020, Paxton underwent spinal surgery but due to the season being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic made it back for opening day. He made five starts, pitching to a 1–1 record with a 6.64 ERA and 26 strikeouts over $20 1⁄3$ innings pitched. He was shutdown after his August 20 start because of a strain of his left flexor tendon, causing him to miss the rest of the season. His contract expired after the season, making him a free agent.

Seattle Mariners (second stint)
On February 18, 2021, Paxton agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million contract to return to the Mariners. In his first start of the season on April 6 against the Chicago White Sox, Paxton threw only 24 pitches before being removed from the game with left elbow discomfort. Two days later, it was announced that he would undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season after only one game.

Boston Red Sox
On December 1, 2021, Paxton signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Boston Red Sox that included a two-year club option. On March 16, he was placed on the 60-day injured list, as he continued his recovery from surgery. He made one rehab start in the Florida Complex League on August 18, but suffered a LAT tear and was shut down for the season. Following the season, Paxton exercised his $4 million player option to remain a member of the Red Sox for the 2023 season.

Paxton began the 2023 season on the injured list with a right hamstring strain and made his season debut on May 12 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for June after posting a 1.74 ERA and a 3–0 record in five starts during the month. Paxton's success and contract situation allowed rumors to swirl that the Red Sox might trade him prior to the trade deadline. However, pushing for a wild card spot, as well as having injuries within the starting rotation, the Red Sox ultimately held onto Paxton. After the trade deadline, Paxton began to struggle, posting a 1–3 record and 7.62 ERA after the deadline, in sharp contrast to his 6–2 record and 3.34 ERA prior. On September 10, he was placed on the injured list due to right knee inflammation, ending his season. Overall, Paxton had a 7–5 record with a 4.50 ERA in 96 innings pitched. He became a free agent following the season.

Los Angeles Dodgers
On January 29, 2024, Paxton signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, that also contained performance bonuses based on number of starts. The original deal was for $11 million but was reworked due to unspecified health issues.

Pitching style
A power pitcher with a long stride and a $3/4$ release from a closed position that hides most of his deliveries, comparable to a faster version of Andy Petitte, Paxton relies on a four-seam fastball that ranges in velocities in the high 90s miles per hour (MPH). He also complements his four-seam fastball with a cutter (high 80s MPH) and a knuckle curve (low 80s MPH). He has decreased the use of his sinker/changeup. His strikeout pitches are high fastballs and a low inside knuckle curve against right-handers. His increased usage of knuckle curves on the first pitch of at bats limited the number of hits and runs that he allowed during the end of the 2019 season.

Personal
Paxton and his wife, Katie, reside in Kirkland, Washington during the offseason.