Red Sox starting pitcher James Paxton allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out four in six innings in Boston’s 9-5 win over the Royals on Monday in Kansas City, Mo. Reed Hoffman/Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eleven months ago, James Paxton made his last start of the 2023 season for the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. It did not go well. Paxton, pitching through a knee injury and running on fumes, gave up six runs and couldn’t get through the second inning.

Paxton, who was traded back to the Red Sox from the Dodgers before the trade deadline, returned to Kauffman on Monday. He was much sharper this time, limiting the Royals to two runs on five hits in six innings to earn the victory in Boston’s 9-5 win.

“He gave us more than enough,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said.

Paxton finished strong, retiring the final seven hitters he faced. Cora debated whether to go to the bullpen in the sixth when the Royals had back-to-back right-handed hitters due in the heart of their lineup, but decided to let Paxton finish the inning, retiring Salvador Perez on a pop up and Hunter Renfroe on a groundout. 

“I felt good out there,” said Paxton, “and to have (Cora) have that confidence in me and letting me go … that was awesome.”

He was so sharp, in fact, Cora though about sending Paxton back out for the seventh after 90 pitches. Cora changed his mind when the Sox scored four times in the top of the seventh.

As is his habit when he’s going well, Paxton got tougher as the outing went on, and his fastball ramped up.

“We learned a lot last year from him,” said Cora. “The deeper into the game, the fastball plays better. I think mechanics plays into it, and the feel for the pitches. Sometimes, the breaking ball is bigger, the cutter is a good one and (he mixes in) the fastball. Then, he feels confident enough, and his mechanics are sound, and then he goes.”

“I’m just competing and giving everything I’ve got,” said Paxton, “and if (the fastball) is still working, it’s still working.”

Paxton was undone by poor defensive play in his first start since returning to the Red Sox last week against Seattle. That wasn’t the case Monday as he established a rhythm early and kept going. He mixed his fastball and curve early and later in the outing threw an occasional changeup.

“We mixed,” said Paxton. “We used the curveball when it was working really well and buried some and made some pitches with the fastball, too.”

Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela leaps to make a catch on a fly ball by Kansas City’s Maikel Garcia in the fifth inning Monday night in Kansas City, Mo. Reed Hoffman/Associated Press

THE SOX WIN Monday featured one of the best catches in recent years for the Red Sox.

Ceddanne Rafaela, who has made highlight reel catches in center field since his days as a minor leaguer, authored a masterpiece with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Rafaela ran full speed, leapt up and backhanded the ball over his left shoulder just before he crashed into the wall in center field on a shot by Kansas City’s Maikel Garcia.

He hung on for the out, and everyone at Kauffman Stadium’s jaws hit the floor.