Report: Tommy John surgery recommended for Paxton

Seattle Mariners left-hander James Paxton has had Tommy John surgery recommended to him, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Paxton will miss the rest of the 2021 season and likely part of 2022 if he undergoes the procedure.

The Mariners placed Paxton on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to a forearm strain. He was forced to leave his first start of the season with the injury after 1 1/3 innings of work.

After two seasons with the New York Yankees, Paxton returned to the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2010 when he inked a one-year, $8.5-million contract with the Mariners in February.

The 32-year-old has long showcased excellent ability on the mound, but it's often been overshadowed by injury.

He threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018 and owns a 3.59 ERA over 137 career starts.