James Paxton goes to 45-day IL; Yankees tenure could be finished

The way things have gone for the New York Yankees during the pandemic-shortened season, it was only fitting some positive news on the injury front would be followed by a letdown.

On the same day the Bronx Bombers reinstated slugger Aaron Judge from the injured list, the club announced that it transferred left-handed pitcher James Paxton to the 45-day IL, a move that ultimately could signal the end of his tenure with the organization.

The 31-year-old is out of contract following the 2020 campaign.

Paxton hasn't taken the bump since he experienced forearm discomfort during an Aug. 20 outing versus the Tampa Bay Rays. He was diagnosed with a strained left flexor tendon in his pitching arm, but the hope was that the discovery that he didn't require Tommy John surgery could allow him to return at some point in September.

As mentioned by the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), though, Paxton suffered a setback during his rehabilitation last week. Across five starts this summer, he compiled a 1-1 record with a 6.64 ERA.