Mariners pitcher James Paxton to have season-ending elbow surgery

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton, shown Sept. 14, 2013, was in his first season back with the Mariners after spending the past two years with the New York Yankees. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton, shown Sept. 14, 2013, was in his first season back with the Mariners after spending the past two years with the New York Yankees. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

April 13 (UPI) -- Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton will undergo season-ending surgery on his throwing elbow, it was announced Tuesday.

Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters Tuesday that Paxton will have the procedure done on his left elbow, but he wasn't certain if it would be Tommy John surgery.

"If I know Pax, he'll take the right attitude with it and go forward and try to make the best out of it and come back, hopefully, stronger than ever," Servais said.

Paxton was placed on the 10-day injured list last week with a forearm strain in his pitching arm after exiting his first start of the season in the second inning. The 32-year-old left-hander threw 24 pitches before leaving the April 6 matchup against the Chicago White Sox.

Paxton posted a 41-26 record and 3.42 ERA for the Mariners from 2013-18. He was traded to the New York Yankees in November 2018 for a package of three players.

In his first season in New York, Paxton went 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA. He later underwent surgery in February 2020 to repair a herniated disk and remove a peridiscal cyst.

Paxton was able to start the season on time when the COVID-19 pandemic forced MLB to delay its 2020 season until late July, but he went 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA in five starts. He didn't pitch after Aug. 20 due to a left forearm strain.

Paxton returned to the Mariners on a one-year contract this past off-season.

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