Mariners starter James Paxton reportedly recommended to have Tommy John surgery
Mariners starter James Paxton has reportedly had Tommy John surgery recommended to him, per a Thursday afternoon tweet from MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
The 32-year-old pitcher exited his season debut in the second inning Tuesday with a left forearm strain and underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning. He was placed on the 10-day injured list pregame that day.
The Mariners have not given an official update on Paxton since then, as he consults with doctors about next steps. Manager Scott Servais said Thursday the left-hander was planning to seek a second opinion on the results of his MRI.
“He’ll get his second opinion on Monday,” Servais updated pregame Saturday. “I really won’t know anything until after we hear from there. Nothing’s changed on my end there, contrary to maybe what you see out at different media outlets. That’s the information I have.”
Paxton exited 24 pitches into his outing Tuesday. The pitch that was ultimately the last of his outing was a 92 mph fastball to Andrew Vaughn, and the left-hander appeared to grimace walking back to the mound.
“It just got worse and worse and just kind of felt it, and it got to a point where I wasn’t able to throw pitches,” Paxton said postgame.
Catcher Luis Torrens jogged over, the Mariners infield corralled around Paxton as he bent over and Servais and athletic trainer Kyle Torgerson to hurry from the dugout.
“Right away you know something’s not right,” Servais said postgame. “He’s disappointed. He felt something in his forearm and at that point the night is over, just shut it down and see what the doctors have to say.”
Paxton appeared frustrated as he left the field with Torgerson moments later.
“I feel like for me it’s kind of been one thing after another,” Paxton said. “I work really hard and do everything that I can to be out there, and I’ll continue to do so, and hopefully I can catch a break and stay healthy for a good chunk of time in the future.”
Paxton pitched in only five games with the Yankees last summer. He underwent a lumbar discectomy in February of 2020, was placed on the injured list in August with a left flexor strain, and eventually shut down for the season.
He elected free agency in October, and signed a signed a reported one-year, $8.5 million deal — which could reach as high as $10 million with bonuses — with the Mariners in February.
Entering his 11th professional season — the Mariners drafted the Ladner, British Columbia native in the fourth round in 2010 — and ninth in the majors, the hope was Paxton would be a veteran anchor in Seattle’s six-man rotation, which includes four starters who have pitched in less than 50 games in their big league careers, and two who were rookies a season ago.
“I love working with young guys,” Paxton said in February. “I love helping them out, telling them what I know. I love learning from them. A lot of these guys coming up now have a lot of knowledge with the analytics side of the game, because they’ve kind of come up in that era, and I can learn from them. And I can also teach them about the big leagues, and things that I’ve learned along the way.”
Paxton said he felt back at full strength this spring, and made two Cactus League starts before the Mariners broke camp, allowing one run on four hits with four walks and 17 strikeouts across 8 1/3 innings
He was off to a quick start in his return to Seattle prior to the second inning Tuesday. He worked a quick, nine-pitch first, getting a weak infield fly from Adam Eaton on the first pitch of the game, and back-to-back swinging strikeouts of Luis Robert and Jose Abreu.
He walked Yoan Moncada to open the second, but then got Yermin Mercedes to ground out to first. He left the game following his third pitch to Vaughn.
“Pax has been through a lot in his career, there’s been a lot of different injuries that he has dealt with,” Servais said Wednesday. “Just try to keep our fingers crossed it’s nothing that’s going to keep him out too long, and he can get back working and working towards getting on the mound for us.
“That’s what he signed here to do is to get back and pitch for the Mariners. He really loves being a Mariner, and we love having him out there, so we just have to wait and see what the doctor says.”
INJURY UPDATES
▪ Mariners first baseman Evan White (quad strain) was held out of the starting lineup Saturday against the Twins, but Servais said pregame White was on the field jogging and testing how his quad felt. Servais was hopeful White might be available to pinch hit Saturday, and possibly resume his starting role in Sunday’s series finale in Minnesota.
▪ Center fielder Kyle Lewis (knee) did not travel with the team on this eight-day, seven-game road trip, but is continuing to increase his workload in the batting cage back in Seattle. “All systems go there,” Servais said. “He’s picking up his intensity and his activity.” Lewis opened the season on the 10-day IL, but could be activated as soon as the Mariners’ next homestand, which begins April 16 against the Astros.
This story was originally published April 8, 2021 at 4:23 PM.
