Left-hander James Paxton won the debate — it was a mild debate — but the bottom line is he will start Sunday, as he wanted to do, when the Mariners close out the season against the Los Angeles Angels.
"Skip gave me the option," Paxton said. "My body feels great. My innings aren’t an issue. So I want to run it out there one more time and go get them."
It will be Paxton’s fourth start since returning from a five-week stay on the disabled list because of a strained left pectoral muscle.
"We had a good talk," manager Scott Servais said, "and he feels like his mechanics and timing are really coming along.