Boston Red Sox: David Price to Start Season on DL
Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price will most likely start the season on the disabled list after an elbow injury set back his preparation for Opening Day.
The Boston Red Sox have the highest odds in Las Vegas to win the 2017 World Series, after making a blockbuster trade to acquire Chris Sale. They acquired Sale to add him to David Price and Rick Porcello, to form one of the most lethal pitching rotations in all of baseball. It now seems that the rotation will not be at full strength to start the season.
David Price will start the season on the disabled list for the Red Sox, according to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. Price had issues with his elbow earlier on in spring training, but luckily there was no structural damage found and Price was ordered to sit out seven to 10 days. The time that he sat out has set Price back and will make it nearly impossible for him to be ready for Opening Day.
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The injury opens up a spot in the rotation for another starter. There are three starters being considered for that job in Eduardo Rodriguez, Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright. The three will duke it out for the last spot to start the season in the team’s rotation.
Price, 31, struggled in his first year in Boston last year. In 230 innings pitched, Price posted a 17-9 record with a 3.99 ERA. While those numbers look pretty impressive, they do not live up to Price’s standards. Part of his downfall was his WHIP, as he posted the highest mark of his career at 1.204. The one bright side was the amount of batters Price struck out, as he fanned 227 batters in those 230 innings.
Part of the reason the Red Sox traded for Chris Sale was the struggle their starting rotation endured last season. Boston finished eight in MLB and third in the American League in starters’ ERA with a 4.22 mark. Rick Porcello was a huge contributor last season, winning the American League Cy Young award after racking up 22 wins on the mound.
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While the Price injury is concerning, it seems that there is not too much to be worried about. Price will be back to normal in a couple days and start preparing to pitch in the regular season for the Red Sox. Price is currently under a contract with the Red Sox worth over $200 million and has yet to prove that he is worth it. 2017 could be a huge bounce-back season for David Price, as long as he stays healthy.