‘Felt like myself’: Red Sox lefty James Paxton returns after 2-plus-year hiatus
"Watching him pitch today gave me goosebumps."
Pitching in the majors for the first time since April 6, 2021, Red Sox starter James Paxton felt like he was making his debut all over again Friday night.
The lanky left-hander, back in action following a lengthy recovery post-Tommy John surgery, allowed two earned runs on four hits and struck out nine in five solid innings.
“I felt like myself out there,” Paxton told reporters.
Though the Red Sox lost, 8-6, to the Cardinals at Fenway Park, it was a productive return for the hard-throwing Canadian. Paxton, who was credited with a no-decision, touched 98 and only walked one.
If all goes according to plan, he could help bolster a struggling Red Sox rotation moving forward.
Manager Alex Cora said Paxton was “in control” and used a variety of pitches effectively.
Per The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier: “The 10 swings-and-misses Paxton elicited on four-seamers were the most by any Sox starter in a game this season.”
“He looked like the guy that was pitching with Seattle a while ago,” Cora said.
Paxton, 34, hadn’t pitched in the majors in 766 days. He suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in that April 2021 start, required surgery, then endured a string of setbacks that kept him sidelined all of 2022.
He said was nervous and excited to return, and he couldn’t help but feel the emotions throughout the evening. His teammates were thrilled to celebrate the milestone.
“Watching him pitch today gave me goosebumps,” closer Kenley Jansen said. “The first thing I did was give him a hug and tell him welcome back. He’s going to be a huge part of us.”
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