Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers Trade Left-Handed Pitcher to Red Sox for Prospect

Maren Angus-Coombs

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have shipped James Paxton up to Boston.

Paxton rejoins the Red Sox after being designated for assignment on Monday. The Dodgers received minor league Moises Bolivar in exchange for the left-handed starting pitcher.

Friday's move marks the first official trade the Dodgers have made ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. It wasn't attractive but the Dodgers accomplished what they wanted to do and received a 17-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic in return.

Before signing a one-year, $7 million contract with Los Angeles in the offseason, the 35-year-old spent the previous two seasons with Boston. He was 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA spanning 19 starts with Boston last year.

Paxton is having a down season despite his 8-2 record. His 4.43 ERA is more telling. He isn't striking out as many batters and has a career-worst 6.4 strikeouts per game. He’s tied for the third-most walks in baseball with 48.

The Dodgers figured out ways to win with Paxton on the mound. He didn't miss a start and the team was 14-4 in games that he started, which was a major-league best.

However, the underlying statistics and return of starters Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw pushed him out of the starting rotation.

Paxton will arrive in Boston as the New York Yankees visit Fenway Park. The Red Sox are one game behind the Kansas City Royals for an American League Wild Card spot.

Boston is 4.5 games back of the Yankees and 6.5 behind the Orioles in the AL East.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite growing up in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer at the LA Sports Report Network.

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