Los Angeles Dodgers DFA veteran starter James Paxton despite bounce-back season

According to Robert Murray of FanSided, the Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that they have designated veteran pitcher James Paxton for assignment. It's a rather surprising move considering how effective and reliable he has been this season for the Dodgers, posting an 8-2 record with a 4.43 ERA over 89.1 innings of work.

"Sources: James Paxton is being designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers," Robert Murray posted on X.

Thankfully for James Paxton, he has proven yet again that he can be an effective pitcher at the major league level, so he should have no issue finding another club this season. Regardless, the news that the Los Angeles Dodgers chose to DFA the veteran came as a surprise to many, particularly after a strong outing against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.

The Los Angeles Dodgers needed to create space on the 40-man roster for the impending return of club legend Clayton Kershaw. The future Hall of Famer has yet to pitch this season, however, he is slated to be activated from the IL for Thursday's showdown with division rivals, the San Francisco Giants.

With Paxton no longer on the roster, Clayton Kershaw will undoubtedly take his place in the rotation. Kershaw is not the only reinforcement coming for the Dodgers as they are expected to activate fellow injured star Tyler Glasnow this week as well. The injury-riddled Dodgers appear to be getting healthy at the right time of the year.

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James Paxton could benefit from a pitching-hungry market

Although getting DFA'd from one of the top teams in the MLB certainly stings, given James Paxton's performances so far this season, he should draw some interest across the league. The Dodgers will have a week to either trade or release Paxton, with the latter being the most likely outcome.

As the MLB Trade Deadline rapidly approaches, a number of contenders are looking to bolster their pitching rotations, which could benefit from the veteran. Teams such as the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, and Kansas City Royals are a few of the clubs expected to pursue starting pitchers before the trade deadline.

"The Red Sox should explore the idea of bringing back James Paxton. Then turn the attention to the trade market for a RHH and RH reliever" - @ChrisHenrique

Thanks to the demand from starters, James Paxton should be a sought-after commodity if he is released from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Given his MLB service time, he can reject an outright assignment while also securing the full salary that he is owed. He could sign a minimum deal with a club if released, which should tempt plenty of teams looking to reach the postseason.