Inside James Paxton’s plan to stay healthy in 2018, and what milk (or a lack thereof) has to do with it
PEORIA, Ariz. — Got milk?
For James Paxton, his answer would be, “Well, that depends on where it comes from.”
In his personal quest to pitch an entire season without time spent on the disabled list, reach the elusive goal of 200 innings pitched and being the top-of-the-rotation ace his potential suggests, the Mariners’ Paxton has continued to refine and adjust his offseason and spring training program. The latest aspect of that is a reduction of lactose in his diet.
Following a breakout 2017 season in which he went 12-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 24 starts, Paxton decided to supplement his offseason preparation in search for better durability. He underwent myriad tests, including having blood samples drawn, to determine if changes to his lifestyle, specifically his diet, could lead to improved performance and injury avoidance. Without getting into every single detail, Paxton mentioned one noticeable change made because of the tests.
