How Intriguing Hurler Fared In First Start For Red Sox; Will He Make Starting Rotation?

The Red Sox have plenty of starting pitching options

What will the Boston Red Sox's starting rotation look like in 2023? 

This question is one that has swirled around the club as spring training has kicked off. Boston currently has Chris Sale, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Corey Kluber, Tanner Houck, and James Paxton all competing for the five starting rotation spots. 

One of the most intriguing names on this list certainly is Paxton. The longtime Seattle Mariners hurler has only appeared in six games since the start of the 2020 season but signed with the Red Sox ahead of the 2022 campaign. The left-handed hurler has dealt with a plethora of injuries but seemingly is healthy now and appeared in his first game as a member of the Red Sox on Friday in Grapefruit League action against the Minnesota Twins. 

Paxton pitched just 1 2/3 innings, but looked solid in his return to the hill. The 34-year-old didn't surrender a hit or walk in his short stint and recorded one strikeout on a looping curveball to star shortstop Carlos Correa. 

Paxton Ks Correa pic.twitter.com/WBEugFPgmI

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) March 3, 2023

Before Friday's appearance, Paxton's last MLB game came on April 6, 2021 for the Seattle Mariners. The left-handed hurler suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and underwent Tommy John Surgery and has been recovering ever since. 

Paxton's appearance Friday was cut short with two outs in the second inning after flexing his leg seemingly indicating an injury, but it reportedly didn't seem serious according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. 

James Paxton leaves with two outs in second inning. Flexing his leg. Didn’t seem serious as walked through dugout giving fist bumps. Guess is precautionary.

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) March 3, 2023

Paxton's early exit certainly will be something to monitor moving forward but his appearance Friday was a major success nonetheless. The 34-year-old's fastball typically sat between 92-94 miles per hour and his curveball still had plenty of life on it. 

The lefty has dealt with injuries in recent seasons, but if he is fully healthy he could be a major addition for Boston. From 2014-2019 he compiled a 53-32 record and 3.57 ERA in 127 starts to go along with 782 strikeouts to just 216 walks. His role with the 2023 Red Sox is undefined at the moment. Many have speculated that he could be moved to the bullpen, but Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom didn't seem too keen on the idea. 

There's no way for sure to know what role he will play, but if healthy, he could really help Boston. Friday certainly was a small sample size, but he looked extremely impressive especially considering the fact that he hadn't taken the mound in almost two years. 

If his leg is okay and he's able to stay on track, things may be looking up. 

More MLB: Ex-Yankees All-Star Makes Perfect Sense For Red Sox After Latest Unfortunate Injury News