Seattle Mariners: 3 takeaways from reunion with James Paxton

2) Protection against injury history

There will be some understandable concern about Paxton’s durability. He underwent spinal surgery last February and was then limited to five starts in 2021, due to a left flexor strain.

Prior to this, the 32-year-old suffered a variety of ailments since first entering the Majors in 2013. The list of injuries include; several arm contusions, knee inflammation, a back strain and a strained tendon in his middle finger.

On the plus side, it should be noted before last year that Paxton had 20, 24, 28 and 29 starts respectively between 2016-19. While the constant wear and tear is a worry, at least the Mariners have some protection as per the aforementioned details of the agreed contract.

One other reason for optimism, is Seattle’s intention to have a six-man rotation this coming season. The extra rest time between starts can only aid the southpaw’s chances of remaining healthy in the coming months.

NEXT: REUNION WHICH MAKES SENSE