It乌鸦传媒檚 never been a question of talent with Ladner乌鸦传媒檚 James Paxton, it乌鸦传媒檚 always been a question of health.

It乌鸦传媒檚 a question he hopes he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 have to deal with this summer.

Now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Paxton is continuing his big-league career despite the adversity he has faced the past few years.

At 35-years of age, it would be an easy choice for Paxton to retire and enjoy his summers with his family. According to Spotrac.com, Paxton乌鸦传媒檚 made over $48 million dollars during the course of his career, so he乌鸦传媒檚 made more than enough money to live comfortably. But it乌鸦传媒檚 more than just baseball 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 about challenging yourself.

乌鸦传媒淲hat motivates me is my love for competing. I love to push myself to be the best I can be and I乌鸦传媒檝e found that this game is a great teacher for personal growth,乌鸦传媒� he said.

Now in his 11th Major League season, Paxton has managed to exceed 150 innings twice in his career. In the last three seasons, he乌鸦传媒檚 made just 25 starts.

So when Monday night rolled around and he took to the mound for his Dodger debut at Chavez Ravine, needless to say he was a little amped.

乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e kind of like showing yourself for the first time in the regular season, so you want to put your best foot forward,乌鸦传媒� Paxton said.

It was a night in which Paxton didn乌鸦传媒檛 have his best stuff but he found a way to pick up the win as the Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants by a score of 8-3.

It shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 come as a surprise.

Paxton has been battling his entire career.

On a night when Paxton admits he was trying to find 乌鸦传媒榯hat gap乌鸦传媒� all night long, he managed to navigate his way through the Giants lineup throwing five shutout innings, allowing five hits and four walks while striking out five.

Nursing a 3-0 lead in the top of the 5th inning, Dodger manager Dave Roberts stuck with Paxton when he had every opportunity to give him the hook.

After Nick Ahmed and Jung Hoo Lee reached base to lead off the inning for the Giants, Paxton induced a double play ball with Austin Slater at the plate.

But Paxton wasn乌鸦传媒檛 out of trouble just yet.

He then walked the next two batters 乌鸦传媒� Jorge Soler and Mark Chapman 乌鸦传媒� to load the bases.

Again, Roberts elected to let Paxton find a way out of the jam rather than going to the bullpen.

The decision paid off when Wilmer Flores grounded out to second to end the threat.

乌鸦传媒淗e didn乌鸦传媒檛 have his best stuff but it was would you expect from James. He乌鸦传媒檚 a seasoned veteran who is going to go out there and compete and make pitches when he needs to. That last out was big,乌鸦传媒� Roberts said after the game.

Getting a vote of confidence from your manager this early in the season goes a long way says Paxton.

乌鸦传媒淭hat was awesome. For him to allow me to pitch in that situation was huge. To get out of that really built my confidence up. It乌鸦传媒檚 going to help me going forward knowing that I can get in those situations and get out of them. I was very inconsistent. I walked five guys and I was all over the place but I was competing as best as I could and I didn乌鸦传媒檛 let off on a single pitch. And I think he saw that and really wanted to allow me to go out there and compete,乌鸦传媒� said Paxton.

Hopefully the successful start is a harbinger of things to come.

The last few years have been tough for Paxton. Last year, a right knee injury in September ended his season with the Boston Red Sox. He didn乌鸦传媒檛 pitch in 2022 due to a lat tear. In 2021, he made one appearance with the Mariners before having to undergo Tommy John surgery.

The good news is Paxton feels healthy and is looking forward to being part of the Dodgers.

乌鸦传媒淚 feel really good and my body feels great. Nothing was hurting in my first start. It was just a matter of me trying to find my rhythm out there but I乌鸦传媒檒l tell you we乌鸦传媒檝e done a lot of things. My body feels good so I think the rhythm will come. I just need to get more reps. Getting in those regular season games, you have that adrenaline. I乌鸦传媒檒l try to figure out my timing (and getting) my firing pins aligned but the body乌鸦传媒檚 feeling really good right now,乌鸦传媒� said Paxton, who owns a 65-38 lifetime record with a career ERA of 3.67.

As for this season, Paxton is excited to be pitching for the marquee franchise in baseball that features such superstars as Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman but with it comes pressure.

乌鸦传媒淭he expectation is the World Series with our team. You look at our team on paper and say, 乌鸦传媒榦h yeah, that team should be in the World Series.乌鸦传媒� As you know, there乌鸦传媒檚 a lot more that goes into it. We have to stay healthy and we have to take it one day at a time. I think if we get too far ahead of ourselves and start thinking about the World Series in April we乌鸦传媒檙e going to be in trouble. You have to take it one day at a time and focus on winning that ballgame that day. And if we do that and stay focused, I think we乌鸦传媒檙e going to be successful,乌鸦传媒� noted Paxton.

And despite having the biggest stars in baseball, Paxton tells us that there are no divas on the ball club.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e never been a part of a team with this much star power but it乌鸦传媒檚 interesting. You think that a team with this much star power there would be a lot of ego stuff going on. But with this team, I really don乌鸦传媒檛 feel any of that. These guys are really down to earth. They乌鸦传媒檙e all here to play ball and they乌鸦传媒檙e all here to win and they all treat everyone the same. It乌鸦传媒檚 really been a great experience,乌鸦传媒� said Paxton.

Sounds like Paxton should fit in nicely with this group.

Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 乌鸦传媒渢he Moj乌鸦传媒� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.

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