4 years agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton struggled in his first start of the season, lasting only one inning and allowing three runs. Concerningly, Paxton’s fastball velocity topped out at 93.8 mph and averaged less than 92 mph for the night. Paxton mentioned that he was struggling to find his velocity during simulated games, and it appears as though those struggles are carrying into the regular season. Manager Aaron Boone believes that Paxton’s velocity is a mechanical issue rather than a health issue, so it’s possible that the 31-year-old is able to adjust and regain his velocity over the course of the season. Losing two or three mph on his fastball velocity could cost Paxton around five points on his 30% strikeout rate from last season though, significantly damaging his value. Fantasy players should continue to monitor Paxton’s velocity as the season progresses, but Saturday’s start was far from encouraging.--Sam Chinitz
Source: Bryan Hoch