Red Sox's Canadian left-hander James Paxton to retire at season's end
'My family needs me home, and I feel a duty and a responsibility to be at home'
Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton announced he will retire at the conclusion of this season.
Paxton, 35, made three starts following a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26. The Ladner, B.C., native has been on the injured list since Aug. 12, one day after he sustained a strained right calf while attempting to cover first base in a game against the Houston Astros.
"I'm hoping that we can squeak into the post-season and I can get the opportunity to pitch again," Paxton said on the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast with host Rob Bradford on Wednesday. "But I think after this season [I'm] going to be retiring and moving on to the next chapter.
"It was tough. Obviously, I think that I can still do it. I can still go out there and compete and help a team win. But I just think with where my family's at and what they need right now, they need me home, and I feel a duty and a responsibility to be at home with my family. And I'm looking forward to being at home with my family and spending more time with them, too."
Paxton is 9-3 with a 4.40 earned-run average in 21 starts this season with the Dodgers and Red Sox.
He is a 73-41 with a 3.77 ERA in 177 regular-season starts for the Seattle Mariners (2013-18, 2021), New York Yankees (2019-20), Red Sox (2023, 2024) and Dodgers (2024).
