Yankees trade for James Paxton

This coming season just got a bit tougher.

The Yankees traded for Mariner’s starter James Paxton. Heading to Seattle are pitchers Justus Sheffield, Erik Swanson and outfielder Don Thompson-Williams.

Paxton, from Ladner BC is 30, he’s pitched in the majors for 6 seasons, has a 41-26 record and a 3.42 ERA in 102 starts with 168 walks and 617 strikeouts in 582.1 innings. This season he had a 3.76 ERA in 28 starts, with 42 walks and 208 strikeouts in 160.1 innings. And you’ll likely remember he threw a no-hitter against us back in May.

Sheffield, 22, was the Yankees.com number 1 prospect. He threw 2.2 innings for the Yankees this year. Splitting time between Triple and Double A he had a 2.48 ERA in 25 games, 20 starts. In 116 innings he allowed 82 his, 50 walks and 123 strikeouts. He was #57 on Baseball Prospectus’ top 100 prospects before the 2018 season.

Swanson is the Yankees’ number 22 prospect in the MLB Pipeline List. He’s 24. He pitched in A, AA, AAA this year, with a 2.66 ERA in 24 games, 22 starts. In 122.2 innings he allowed 93 hits, 29 walks and 139 strikeouts.

Thompson-Williams isn’t on the Yankees top prospect lists. He’s 23. He hit .299/.363/.546 in 100 games split between A and high A, with 22 home runs, 33 walks and 102 strikeouts.