James Paxton's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton pitched six innings of shutout ball in Saturday's 5-0 victory over the Padres, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out four on the way to earning his fifth win of the season. The veteran has an impressive 2.58 ERA on the season and a low HR/FB% of 6.3%, but the 1.41 WHIP and -1.2% K-BB% are a bit concerning. A high 86.3% LOB% with such a low strikeout rate and a FIP of 4.91 indicate things could fall apart quickly for the southpaw. Nevertheless, if he can continue to walk the tightrope, the Dodgers should continue to provide enough run support for the 35-year-old to collect some additional wins.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton recorded his fourth win of the season against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in a 5-1 victory. Paxton went 6 innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three. He has now recorded back-to-back wins in two starts. The 35-year-old has pitched 32 innings in six starts, holding a 3.06 ERA with a 5.01 K/9 and 6.68 BB/9 rate. His next projected start is against the San Diego Padres, who had already given him troubles earlier this season. Despite surrendering eight walks in last start against the Padres, Paxton has pitched well enough recently to be used as a streamer in most league formats.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton faced off against the San Francisco Giants for his first start as a Dodger on Monday. Paxton threw five scoreless innings, giving up four hits while showing spotty control with five walks in addition to five strikeouts. Despite his spotty control, he kept the Giants off the board while also earning himself the win as the Dodgers scored nine runs in the game. Paxton should have another start this week against the Chicago Cubs. Paxton is worth starting in all leagues, as he plays for a stacked Dodgers team and should pick up a lot of wins for fantasy squads on the cheap.

With a suggestion from the team, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton has modified his cutter this offseason to more of a bullet slider, which is a harder, tighter slider than the traditional slower sweeper. "It helps [Paxton] keep the ball down and underneath the swing of a right-handed hitter and down and away from a left-handed hitter," assistant pitching coach Connor McGuinness said. The oft-injured veteran southpaw will have extra rest to open the year as the Dodgers go with a six-man starting rotation, and he said his "body feels really good" in spring training. The 35-year-old made just six starts from 2020-22 but managed to make 19 starts in 2023. When healthy, Paxton's strikeout upside makes him worth considering as rotation depth in deeper fantasy leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander James Paxton said he "has no doubt" that he'll be ready to go for Opening Day. The Dodgers and Paxton tweaked his one-year deal to be incentive-laden after issues came up during his physical due to ongoing knee injuries and his Tommy John history. However, the veteran southpaw thinks he'll be ready to roll to begin the regular season. How long the 35-year-old Canadian will stay healthy is the question. After making just six starts from 2020-22, Paxton somehow managed to make 19 starts for the Boston Red Sox in 2023 and had a 4.50 ERA (4.68 FIP), 1.31 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 96 innings. Paxton will be pitching for one of the best teams in baseball and will have a guaranteed rotation spot, but he's one of the most injury-prone players, let alone pitchers, in the game.