The Red Sox traded for James Paxton to deliver performances like this one.
Amid a tight playoff race, Paxton had his first quality start in over a month, leading the Red Sox to a 9-5 win over the Royals on Monday at Kauffman Stadium. Boston is now 1.5 games behind Kansas City for the final AL Wild Card spot and six games behind the Orioles and Yankees in the AL East.
The Red Sox are 3-1 against the Royals this season and need just one more win from the last two games to secure the tiebreaker.
Paxton, who has just joined Boston from the Dodgers, played a crucial role in the team’s playoff hopes. He allowed only five hits and struck out four in six innings, giving up just two runs. Although he usually throws his fastball 57% of the time, Paxton used his knuckle curve 41 times (46%) in this game, surprising many, including Rafaela.
“I didn’t even realise it,” Rafaela said. “Looking back, I thought, ‘Wow, that was a great catch.’ I didn’t expect to make a backhand catch, but it just happened.”
Jarren Duran also made a big impact, hitting a crucial two-run double in the sixth inning and making a leaping catch to rob Hunter Renfroe at the wall. Dominic Smith added a highlight play with a diving stop at first base, preventing Pasquantino from getting a hit. The Red Sox’s offence was impressive, with 18 hits in total. After Duran’s key double — his AL-leading 35th — the team continued to score. Masataka Yoshida had four hits, Connor Wong drove in two runs, and Romy Gonzalez hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer that travelled 452 feet to centre field.
Paxton’s strong start was essential for the win. If the Red Sox keep up their solid defence and hitting, they could be a force in September and October.
“The Royals will keep fighting; they are a good team, and it was a tough game. But our players did well today,” manager Alex Cora said. “They did their job, and now we have a chance to win the series either tomorrow or the next day.”
Paxton managed to get an out in the sixth inning for the first time since June 17, facing the toughest part of the Royals’ lineup. With a 4-2 lead, he retired Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Hunter Renfroe in order.
“Good fastball, good breaking ball. He gave us more than enough,” Cora said. “We were thinking about going to the bullpen, but he stayed strong. We learned from him last year that the deeper he goes into the game, the better his fastball works.”
Paxton had been DFA’d by the Dodgers despite a record of 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA in 89.1 innings, due to the return of Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw. The Red Sox valued his previous time with them and saw him as key to their playoff chase.
Paxton adapted well, using his knuckle curve more and improving as the game went on. All 14 of his fastest pitches came in the fourth inning or later.
“I felt good out there,” Paxton said. “And it was great to have Cora’s confidence and be allowed to keep pitching. I’m just competing and giving it my all.”
Paxton’s success was also supported by strong defence. Despite having the most errors in the league, the Red Sox made important plays against the Royals. Ceddanne Rafaela made a stunning catch in the fifth inning, robbing Maikel Garcia of extra bases with a brilliant backhand grab of a 101.5 mph drive to centre field.
