James Paxton trade is low-risk, high-reward move for Red Sox NBC Sports Boston [Video]

The Boston Red Sox’ first move ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline was a no-brainer.

They became an obvious fit for James Paxton after the Los Angeles Dodgers made the surprising decision to designate him for assignment on Monday. The veteran left-hander is familiar with the organization after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons in Boston. For the Red Sox, Paxton checks multiple boxes as a southpaw (their only left-handed starter) who stabilizes the back end of the rotation.

Sure enough, first-year chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. got the deal done on Friday. They brought “Big Maple” back by sending minor-league infielder Moises Bolivar to L.A.

While there’s always a chance Bolivar blossoms into a star, this was an easy move for Breslow to make. The Red Sox have a surplus of infield prospects and the 17-year-old Bolivar isn’t among the several high-end shortstops in the pipeline. He’s essentially a lottery ticket, one Boston could comfortably part ways with …