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James Paxton

Paxton to Retire at Season’s End

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher James Paxton announced he will retire at the conclusion of this season. Paxton, 35, made three starts following a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26. The Ladner, British Columbia native has been on the injured list since Aug. 12, one day after he sustained a strained right calf while attempting to cover first base in a game against the Houston Astros.

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“I’m hoping that we can squeak into the post-season and I can get the opportunity to pitch again,” Paxton said on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast. “But I think after this season [I’m] going to be retiring and moving on to the next chapter.
“It was tough. Obviously, I think that I can still do it. I can still go out there and compete and help a team win. But I just think with where my family’s at and what they need right now, they need me home, and I feel a duty and a responsibility to be at home with my family. And I’m looking forward to being at home with my family and spending more time with them, too.”
Paxton is 9-3 with a 4.40 earned-run average in 21 starts this season with the Dodgers and Red Sox.
He is a 73-41 with a 3.77 ERA in 177 regular-season starts for the Seattle Mariners (2013-18, 2021), New York Yankees (2019-20), Red Sox (2023, 2024) and Dodgers (2024).

Yu Chang, Paxton Re-Join Red Sox

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The Boston Red Sox today announced the following roster moves:

  • Reinstated left-handed pitcher James Paxton from the Paternity Leave List.
  • Reinstated infielder Yu Chang from the 60-Day Injured List.
  • Placed right-handed pitcher Kaleb Ort on the 15-Day Injured List (retroactive to July 5) with right elbow inflammation.
  • Optioned infielder David Hamilton to Triple-A Worcester following last night’s game against the Texas Rangers.
  • Designated left-handed pitcher Ryan Sherriff for assignment.

Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

Paxton, 34, was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for June, going 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA (6 ER/31.0 IP) and .165 opponent batting average (18-for-109) during the month. He last started on June 30 in Toronto, tossing a season-high 7.2 scoreless innings with three hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. Signed by Boston as a free agent on December 1, 2021, the left-hander is 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA (15 ER/50.0 IP) in nine starts this season and has posted a 3.53 ERA (316 ER/804.2 IP) in 146 career starts with the Seattle Mariners (2013-18, 2021), New York Yankees (2019-20), and the Red Sox (2023).

Chang, 27, was placed on the Injured List on April 25 with a left hamate fracture. The right-handed hitter has played in 17 games with the Red Sox this season, making 11 starts at shortstop and two at second base. Signed by Boston on February 16, Chang has appeared in 213 Major League games with the Cleveland Guardians (2019-22), Pittsburgh Pirates (2022), Tampa Bay Rays (2022), and Red Sox (2022-23), third most among players born in Taiwan behind Wei-Yin Chen (219) and Hung-Chih Kuo (218).

Ort, 31, allowed two runs in 0.2 innings on Tuesday against Texas. The right-hander has posted a 6.26 ERA (16 ER/23.0 IP) with 24 strikeouts in 21 games (two starts) for Boston this season, while also recording a 1.86 ERA (2 ER/9.2 IP) in 10 games with Worcester. Selected from the New York Yankees in the Triple-A phase of the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, Ort owns a 6.27 ERA (36 ER/51.2 IP) in 47 career Major League games (two starts) with the Red Sox (2021-23).

Hamilton, 25, has played in 13 games for the Red Sox, making 10 starts at shortstop. The left-handed hitter has gone 4-for-29 with two doubles and five walks while going 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts. Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in a four-player trade on December 1, 2021, Hamilton has also hit .255 with an .825 OPS and 27 stolen bases in 52 games for Worcester this season, going 53-for-208 with nine doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 39 runs, and 25 RBI.

Sherriff, 33, has posted a 2.70 ERA (2 ER/6.2 IP) in five games for the Red Sox this season, most recently pitching in both games of the doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 3. The left-hander also owns a 2.82 ERA (7 ER/22.1 IP) in 21 appearances for Worcester this season. Signed by Boston as a minor league free agent on January 21, Sherriff has recorded a 3.53 ERA (20 ER/51.0 IP) in 49 career games for the St. Louis Cardinals (2017-18), Tampa Bay Rays (2020-21), and Red Sox (2023).