Scott Boras is out on the campaign trail to shill for his clients in the early days of free agency. Boras is the most famous agent in the game, and one of the best in the business at making sure his clients get paid. He’s a salesman, and salesmen gotta sell.
Boras tells MLB Network’s Jon Morosi that James Paxton will soon throw for talent evaluators. Morosi reports (via Twitter) that Paxton has been working to strengthen his “lumbar region” after back surgery in February. Morosi also notes that Boras says, “There’s a great deal of interest in [Paxton].”
There’s sure to be interest in Paxton as a former front-line southpaw potentially signable on a short-term prove-it-type deal coming off a season lost to injury. 2020 was a tough year for The Big Maple, who in 5 starts went 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA, though a 4.37 FIP suggests more time on the diamond might have stabilized that bloated ERA. In his first year with the Yankees, Paxton went 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA/3.86 FIP across 150 2/3 innings, which more closely matches the kind of production we’ve come to expect from Paxton. Health – or lack thereof – is Paxton’s Achilles heel. The 32-year-old has never thrown more than 161 innings while averaging just 142 innings per season from 2016 to 2019. In today’s day and age, however, that kind of volume isn’t likely to bother teams as much as it might have in the past.
Elsewhere on the free agency campaign trail, former Astros and Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez is showing off his high-spin fastball for a number of teams this winter, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). Boras, who reps Sanchez, predicts unequivocally that Sanchez will be a starting pitcher in 2021. In October, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco wrote about Sanchez throwing for about 20 teams, which was the first we’d seen of him since missing all of 2020 after undergoing surgery to address a tear in his right shoulder capsule. The possibility of Sanchez out of the bullpen was an intriguing idea, but Boras is positioning him as a starter.
When Houston acquired Sanchez before the 2019 trade deadline, the pairing seemed like a good fit because of a high-spin hook – and high spin rates being somewhat of a specialty for the Astros. Sanchez’s curve ranked in the 91st percentile for spin rate. In his first start, in fact, Sanchez threw 6 hit-less innings as part of a 4-man no-hitter against the Mariners. Unfortunately, injuries ended his season after just 4 starts with Houston. The 28-year-old has a career record of 34-33 across 150 appearances (96 starts) totaling 589 ⅔ innings with a 3.98 ERA/4.40 FIP, 1.81 K/BB rate, and 9.0 career rWAR.
Paxton (and Walker) – back with Mariners; each on a 2 year deal.
I think Paxton returns to Seattle as well.
As much as I’d love to see a return I think Paxton’s injury risk will scare Dipoto from signing him. I think he truly believes there is a chance the M’s could challenge for the WC. A lot would have to go right of course, but I think Dipoto will want to sign someone with less risk attached to help him get to that WC.
Walker’s probably going to get 3 years (or more). Paxton might be more likely to get a one-year, incentive-laden deal.
Though I don’t think Seattle would likely bring back both, and Walker is more likely to return, it would be interesting if Paxton would entertain a relief/swing role.
I have a hard time seeing both Paxton and Taijuan returning since Logan Gilbert will almost certainly be in the rotation early in the 2021 season. YK’s spot in the rotation is also secure for at least one more year.
The FO could certainly afford to add 2 FA SP’s to fill their 6 man rotation, it’s not out of the question but doing so would force Justin Dunn, Margevicious and Newsome to the Pen. Those 3 pitchers may well end up there anyway but I get the impression the FO is determined to give Dunn and Margevicious more time to prove they belong in the rotation.
Boras is campaigning for his own pocket.
Well, duh. Client gets paid, he gets paid.
Wouldn’t you be?
Yes thats what an agent is. He is the best at what he does.
Just like ZZ Top, he’s gotsta to get paid.
Paxton is a solid 4 starter but that’s it. He racks up K’s and has one inning where he spits the bid.
I think you’re underselling him.
Paxton can sling it. Health – as the article addresses – has really been his only issue.
At least historically. His drop off in velocity was pretty significant this year. Which has to be troubling for clubs considering signing him.
But when he’s right he’d be the best #4 in MLB. Yanks viewed (hoped?) him as more of a co-ace type. If he’s healthy that’s actually about right.
Co-Ace is a stretch as well. Paxton is a mid-back half #2 when he’s healthy. But that’s the big if. You’re not getting the production for more than 150 innings a year and you have to be extremely lucky just to get that.
Far enough.
I can see that.
In today’s game 150 innings of Pax at – or near – his best is still pretty valuable.
But you crystalized it. Getting those 150 innings is a sketchy proposition.
Wrong, that 150 innings wasn’t in consequetive starts where he would get pulled after 5-6innigs because of the Yanks BP. He had stretches of potential starts where he couldn’t start because of injury.
Frankly, he gets hurt getting out of bed in the AM.
He certainly has good stuff, but his ability to show it much of the time maddening falls short of expectations.
You’ve got to remember, you’re talking Paxton of a few years ago there too
Guy is 32, not getting any younger, and injury issues like his tend to stack and become nagging/recurring problems.
He’ll likely get plenty of 2 year deals, maybe club option on a second year. Bras will probably push for it to be 3, but I can’t see any team wanting to commit to pay for 36 year paxton.
Nah, he’s a front end starter if/when he’s healthy and been that way.. Stays that way for awhile and am sure M’s fans will tell u that. I watched him on their channel also as a quasi M’s fan. this guy has it, it’s just the health problem and in 2020, he was nowhere near upper 90’s, showing the world there was a serious problem.
That top FB and hard curve, if could be healthy? he could have been better than a young Lester is my opinion, only Paxton was always beset by 1 injury after another. I’d never, ever give him any LT deal.
He’s the perfect fit for Tampa. No throws a lot of innings there.
The use of the word “shill” in this article is incorrect. By definition, a shill is someone who speaks positively about something, without disclosing that they are being paid to do so.
Yeah, that is a really unfortunate word choice. A “shill,” as you note, is dishonest in their practices.
Boras has many detractors, of course, but I don’t think there’s any evidence that he’s a shill.
“Shill” raised my eyebrows too. TC is having a bad day between this and calling Stroman the top pitcher on the free agent market.
Well, here it is then.
In my neck of the woods there’s a winter storm warning in effect. Snowing pretty hard. Got a fire going in my man aerie.
As further proof that winter is here, we have Scott Boras informing us of wide spread interest in one of his more questionable talents & a line in the sand about another one.
Breathe that fresh cold air, fellas.
I am surprised Sanchez is still trying to stick as a starter when his body won’t hold up for it, he would be a great reliever like when he first came up with the Jays in 2015.
Nobody wants to be a reliever. The big money for pitchers is for starters. They only become relievers when they have no choice.
A good closer makes a nice coin.
I’d love to see the Dodgers sign and use him as a 2-3 inning reliever.
He could build up strength, but only see the lineup 1 time through.
Then stretch out to 5-7 innings the next year.
Sanchez has to get over the blister/finger issues. A team like Texas would be a good fit. When healthy and on his game he was stellar.
Exactly why everyone laughed when the Yankees got Paxton.
One way or another Boras gets his guys paid. PT Barnum had it right and someone will listen to the siren song on Paxton. The current revenue situation might limit him to the incentive laden prove it deal he merits. Still 50/50 Boras finds a sucker
I think Paxton could be a very good fit with the Brewers behind Woodruff, Burnes. then Paxton, Houser and Peralta or Brown
I agree with warren.
I expect to see Paxton head back to Canada and play for the Blue Jays this season, 1 year deal full of incentives which helps both sides. It also allows the ball club to build on the dicey relationship they’ve had with Boras in the past.
Wrong, that 150 innings wasn’t in consequetive starts where he would get pulled after 5-6innigs because of the Yanks BP. He had stretches of potential starts where he couldn’t start because of injury.
Frankly, he gets hurt getting out of bed in the AM.
He certainly has good stuff, but his ability to show it much of the time maddening falls short of expectations.
I’m not sure what Boras expects to get for Sanchez, but I’d be shocked if he gets more than a 1/$3M offer. He hasn’t been ‘right’ in years and even when healthy, he tends to hit the IL with blister problems. He’ll need to sign a 1 year prove-it deal for 2021. He could end up being a steal or could end up washing out too. But he’s definitely worth a one year, cheap flyer to see if he can turn it around.
Jays should take a shot again at sanchez if they can get him on a minor league deal. I’d give Paxton a 2 year deal with a mutual option for year 2. Build his stock one last time for one last contract. Not to mention the fact that he pitched a no hitter at the Skydome so, he loves to pitch there clearly