SEATTLE — Canadian James Paxton, a 6-foot-4 left-hander whose fastball hurtles to the plate at triple-digit speed, is the seventh-hardest throwing starting pitcher in baseball history, or at least since velocity measurements became valid about 15 years ago. His quickest pitch, according to Baseball Prospectus founder Joe Sheehan, averages 95.5 mph over a five-year career.
That is not why Paxton last month earned the nickname “Big Maple.” That moniker landed when the 28-year-old stormed to a 1.69 ERA over six games to start the season. And the forearm injury that shelved him for nearly a month kept Paxton out just long enough to return in time to face the Rockies.