James Paxton pitched the second-best game of his career on Tuesday night. His eight innings of shutout ball against the Red Sox registered a game score of 89, which trailed only his no-hitter in Toronto last season. The gem caught the attention of Yankees fans, who now presumably understand why the team acquired the southpaw in the first place,
Paxton’s outing featured a lot to like. He struck out 12 batters, escaped a jam, and got fired up on the mound. The most revealing aspect, however, came after the game, when Big Maple provided his won assessment.