MLB Rumors: James Paxton on Blue Jays' Radar After George Springer Contract

Free-agent starting pitcher James Paxton is reportedly on the "radar" of the Toronto Blue Jays as they continue to seek upgrades after signing outfielder George Springer.

Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported Paxton is just one of the starters being considered by the Jays as they attempt to bolster their rotation before the 2021 season.

Toronto's lineup features plenty of potential after bringing in Springer, who owns a career .361 on-base percentage, to serve as the likely leadoff hitter, and the bullpen was upgraded with the previous signings of Kirby Yates and Tyler Chatwood.

The rotation could still use some work, though.

Hyun Jin Ryu is capable of leading the staff, while Robbie Ray and Nate Pearson are strong bounce-back candidates thanks to their high strikeout rates. Beyond that, the Jays could use some depth to compete for the last two spots with Tanner Roark, Ross Stripling, Trent Thornton and Sean Reid-Foley.

Paxton, 32, falls into the same category as Ray and Pearson. He posted an unsightly 6.64 ERA across five starts during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season after not making his debut until late July while recovering from spinal surgery.

His underlying numbers remained strong, however, with 26 strikeouts and just seven walks in 20.1 innings. His xFIP, an ERA estimator, was still the highest of his career at 4.47, per FanGraphs, but it was over two runs less than his ERA, and the small sample size must also be taken into account.

His career statistics—3.58 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 829 strikeouts in 753.1 innings—paint him as a strong mid-rotation starter.

Toronto has quietly built a roster that could contend for the American League pennant, though the AL East rival New York Yankees should still be considered the favorite for the time being.

Adding Paxton, who spent the past two years with the Yanks, or another similar starter via trade or free agency could put the Jays firmly in contention with New York and the Tampa Bay Rays in the division race.