Yankees 2019 starting rotation report card

James Paxton

The former Seattle Mariners ace was acquired by the Yankees on November 19, 2018, in exchange for prized prospect Justus Sheffield, along with Dom Thompson-Williams and Erik Swanson. Paxton was traded for, in large part due to his swing and miss stuff, power arm and big-time upside.

Paxton started off the season strong, posting a 3.11 ERA across his first seven starts to go along with a 0.72 WHIP and 12.42 K/9 ratio. Included in this stretch was a dominant outing against the Boston Red Sox on April 16 in which the southpaw tossed eight shutout innings while allowing two hits and striking out 12.

However, Paxton left a May 3 start due to a knee injury and did not return until May 29. The lefty would go on to struggle for the next two months, collecting a 5.88 ERA with a 1.73 WHIP across his next 11 starts.

Where “Big Maple” eventually came into his own, however, was a dominant stretch to end the regular season. Over his final 11 starts, Paxton pitched to a 10-0 record with a 2.51 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP.

Verdict:

One-Third “Good,” One-Third “Bad” and One-Third “Outstanding.”

The Grade: B+