Paxton has back surgery, out 3-4 months
All during the offseason, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman worried about James Paxton’s back pain and kept suggesting: “Let’s just get the surgery out of the way. We’re losing time.”
Paxton was examined by three doctors, who said the issue could resolve itself. “They all came to the same conclusion: No, no, no,” Cashman recalled.
But Paxton did not get better and finally had the operation Wednesday. He is expected to be sidelined until May or June.
New York said Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas performed a microscopic lumbar discectomy, in which a herniated disk is repaired, and removed a peridiscal cyst. The Yankees estimated Paxton will be able to start throwing in about six weeks and could pitch in a major league game in three-to-four months.
Paxton left his final regular-season start on Sept. 27, after one inning with what the Yankees said was a tight left glute muscle. That ended Paxton’s career-best streak of victories in 10 consecutive starts.
Paxton was examined then by Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister, and the pitcher received an injection of painkiller. Paxton went 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in three postseason starts, allowing five runs in 13 innings. “It did resolve. He pitched extremely well, especially in Houston,” Cashman said. “But when he started ramping up his winter program about four weeks or so ago, he started feeling symptoms again.”
Paxton was examined by Dossett, received a new round of injections and was told to see how he felt in three weeks.
“It turned out clearly that that did not resolve the problem, so surgical intervention then was the last resort,” Cashman said.
Paxton’s injury weakens a Yankees rotation already missing right-hander Domingo Germán, who must serve the final 63 games of an 81-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. He is eligible to return June 5.
After agreeing to a $324 million, nine-year contract, righthander Gerrit Cole heads a rotation that includes righties Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka and lefty J.A. Happ.
Lefty Jordan Montgomery, who returned in September from Tommy John surgery, is a candidate to replace Paxton at the start of the season along with right-handers Luis Cessa,and Jonathan Loaisiga and rookies Devi Garcia and Michael King.