ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 12: James Paxton #65 of the Seattle Mariners leaves the game after allowing two homeruns during the first inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium on July 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
James Paxton scared Mariners fans by exiting his last start with a trainer. Fortunately, his injury isn’t a serious concern in Seattle.
The Seattle Mariners are only going to go as far as their starting pitching takes them this season. That’s why their fans were understandably concerned when James Paxton left his last start due to injury. Fortunately for the M’s faithful, the team isn’t worried about their talented left-hander.
The team is reporting that Paxton only left the game due to back stiffness. While that’s certainly uncomfortable, it isn’t the sort of injury that’s going to shut down Paxton for the season. On the range of possible injuries, it’s definitely one of the best outcomes for the team.
At most, Paxton might miss one or two starts to get back to full health. It’s even possible he will be ready to make his next turn in the rotation. The smarter move would be to allow him to rest through the All-Star Break to get him ready for the stretch fun.
That’s particularly good news considering Seattle’s standing in the AL West. They are three games behind the Astros, but are in good position to grab a wild card berth. The Mariners will be very dangerous in a one game playoff with Paxton on the mound. Of course, they’d much prefer to overtake Houston to give them a longer run in the postseason. That’s a difficult task with a healthy Paxton, and an impossible task if he would have been forced to miss significant time.
Mariners fans can shift their attention back to getting Felix Hernandez back to his former glory or acquiring another bat before the trade deadline. They don’t need to spend a lot of energy worrying about Paxton’s health. The lefty should be back on the hill for them very soon.