The Best Deal For The New York Yankees This Offseason

Jul 30, 2018; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton (65) throws against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees have made several offseason moves to bolster the roster, including infielders Troy Tulowitzki, DJ LeMahieu, and the retention of both J.A. Happ and Zach Britton.

The players kept and acquired will have a significant impact on the success of the team in the year ahead, but arguably the most influential move might prove to be former Mariners ace James Paxton.

Going into his seventh season is the 30-year old. He’s suffered through bouts of injury that have derailed his career at times. In 2018, he made 28 starts and threw 160 innings, proving that he can endure the stress of an entire season. This was likely a big factor for the Yankees in trading for him.

Paxton earned a 3.76 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.02 xFIP and 208 strikeouts last season. He was one of eight pitchers that recorded over a 30% SO rate. His quality will help a solid Yankees starting unit improve. The primary issue is that the Bombers don’t have a true “ace,” unless Luis Severino can embody the first half of 2018 moving forward.

Paxton will likely act as the No.3-4 man in the starting rotation, which only attests to the strength of the unit.

What has James Paxton’s injury looked like?

The former Mariner struggled through back inflammation and a forearm contusion before escaping 2018 with a full bill of health. The 28 starts and 160 innings pitched were career highs for the lefty. He ultimately represents a bigger injury risk than the other options on the roster, but his services will equate to wins, as the Yankees were forced to rely on several younger pitchers last season to pick up the slack.

Was Paxton worth Justus Sheffield?

My biggest concern over this deal with having to trade away Sheffield to acquire Paxton. Sheffield has elite potential but he’s a bit undersized and won’t consistently throw the ball in the 96-99 MPH range. According to MLB.com, Sheffield added a bit of velocity, hovering in the 92-97 MPH range. That’s a pretty wide margin which indicates a weakness. The Yankees are clearly in a “win-now” mode and found it reasonable to offer one of their best prospects for a pitcher that can help them increase the win-column.