Los Angeles Dodgers Rework James Paxton's Contract Due to Health Concerns
The final details have come out on the Los Angeles Dodgers' deal with left-handed pitcher James Paxton, and there are a few notable updates to the original reporting.
When the contract was first revealed on Jan. 23, multiple reports had Paxton making $11 million in 2024. He also had a $1 million Opening Day roster bonus, plus $1 million available in incentives.
The Dodgers officially introduced Paxton on Monday, and The Athletic published the details of his contract on Wednesday.
The maximum value of Paxton's one-year deal is still $13 million, but the road to a full payout is steeper than initially believed. The Dodgers lowered Paxton's guaranteed money due to an unspecified health concern, according to The Athletic.
The club and Paxton's agent, Scott Boras, cited HIPPA considerations when they elected not to comment on the changes.
As shared by Ken Rosenthal on social media, Paxton got a $3 million signing bonus with a $4 million salary this season. The 35-year-old will receive an additional $600K if he reaches six, eight, 10, 12 and 16 MLB starts, then $1 million if he gets to 18 and $1 million if he gets to 20.
Paxton's Opening Day roster bonus is $2 million, regardless of whether he makes the cut in time for the Korea Series on March 20 or the domestic opener on March 28. If he fails to earn a spot on the active 26-man roster by then, he can still cash in a $1 million roster bonus if he makes it by April 15.
However, if Paxton does not meet that deadline, his 20-start bonus will go from $1 million to $2 million.
Paxton has a long injury history that dates back to his first full season in the majors with the Seattle Mariners. He made just 13 starts as a 25-year-old in 2014 due to a LAT injury, and additional finger issues limited him to 13 starts in 2015 as well.
A forearm strain cost Paxton some time in 2017, but he remained relatively healthy until he underwent spinal surgery and Tommy John surgery as a member of the New York Yankees in 2020. Paxton underwent Tommy John surgery again in 2021, right after he returned to Seattle.
Paxton signed with the Boston Red Sox the following offseason, but a LAT tear during his rehab assignment kept him out for all of 2022. He showed flashes of success when he finally returned to the big leagues in 2023, but his season was bookended by a right hamstring strain and right knee inflammation that limited him to 19 starts.
In 156 major league appearances, Paxton is 64-38 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.224 WHIP, 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a 13.6 WAR. Last season with the Red Sox, Paxton went 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.313 WHIP, 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.1 WAR.
The Athletic confirmed that the shifting around of Paxton's guarantees will not impact Los Angeles' standing in regards to the luxury tax. The Dodgers remain roughly $10 million over the fourth and highest threshold, per Rosenthal.
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