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Seattle Mariners LHP James Paxton will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the 2021 season, manager Scott Servais announced Tuesday afternoon. Paxton had been placed on the injured list due to a forearm strain and was seeking a second opinion on the injury. Servais says it’s looking like surgery will be required and it’s determined Tommy John is the route.
Paxton is “heading toward a surgery” according to Servais and will be out for the season.
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) April 13, 2021
Paxton only pitched 1.1 innings last week against the Chicago White Sox, before exiting due to discomfort. The 32-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Mariners in the offseason after spending the last two seasons with the New York Yankees. Last season, Big Maple had his 2020 campaign cut short to five games also because of a forearm strain.
With Paxton’s season over, the Mariners will likely turn to Nick Margevicius to fill in his spot in the rotation. The 24-year-old pitcher filled in for the veteran pitcher last week when he exited the game. In two games this season, Margevicius has an ERA of 7.71 with a record of 0-1.