MLB Rumors: Shocking Braves trade, Red Sox disappointment, Padres’ Japanese swing

MLB Rumors: Red Sox disappointingly eyeing reunion with James Paxton

Whenever the Boston Red Sox ousted Chaim Bloom and eventually brought in Craig Breslow, the optimistic fan had visions of the Sox of old, spending big and pulling a team that's finished at the bottom of the AL East standings in the past couple of years out of the cellar. But so far, the moves have felt largely inconsequential.

And unfortunately, the latest connection for the Red Sox, one that would be to address the team's biggest need as they try to fix their starting pitching, is about as underwhelming as it gets.

According to Rob Bradford of Audacy and WEEI, the Red Sox have shown a strong interest in a reunion with veteran left-hander James Paxton.

Paxton, after signing with Boston ahead of the 2022 season, missed all of that year but returned to the mound in the 2023 campaign. Early on, it appeared that the Red Sox may have struck gold as the veteran looked like he'd turned back the clock. Over 10 starts in the first half of the season, he posted a stellar 2.73 ERA with a 0.982 WHIP, looking truly dominant.

Then the wheels fell off. Between some minor injuries and just general fatigue, Paxton fell off the map in the second half of the season. In his final nine outings, Paxton posted a 6.98 ERA with a 1.775 WHIP. All told, he threw 96 innings with a 4.50 ERA and 1.313 WHIP in the 2023 season.

For a Red Sox team that fans had been hoping would be in the mix for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, could make a splash for guys like Dylan Cease, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery or any top-end available targets this offseason, re-signing Paxton would feel wholly disappointing. That's not a needle-moving move, especially with how the Big Maple finished the year.

And this is undoubtedly a team that, particularly with its starting pitching, desperately needs to move the needle to get back to contention.