Boston Red Sox asking for too much for David Price
The Boston Red Sox are actively trying to move David Price, but teams are not willing to meet the asking price.
The Boston Red Sox have made it known that they are trying to get under the Luxury Tax threshold for the 2020 season, and moving David Price’s contract would be a big help.
The Toronto Blue Jays have had discussions with the Red Sox, but won’t be making a move for him after signing Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Other than Toronto, we haven’t heard of any real traction for a David Price deal so what is the hold up?
Prospects.
According to Peter Gammons, one GM said that “the Red Sox want prospects back for Price. I doubt they’re getting any.”
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Well, if this claim is true then I don’t see how a deal would get done, especially when teams value their prospects so highly.
Price’s contract is already a big enough liability to a prospective team’s payroll. He will be getting paid $32 million in each of the next three seasons, which is just $4 million less than what Gerrit Cole will be getting paid by the Yankees (and he is the best pitcher on the planet).
So, it is absurd for the Red Sox to want top prospects in return when the other team would be having to pay Price his big contract already.
You could bring up the argument that Price still has three years of control left and he would likely be inserted into the top of the rotation, but he isn’t the same pitcher he was years ago with the Blue Jays and the Rays.
If a team wants three years of control for a frontline starter then they can just go to the Cleveland Indians and ask for Mike Clevinger.
He is the young ace that has an above average fastball-slider combination, and he would make a bigger impact than Price would on any team. This is the situation that teams would be willing to give up prospects.
Next. Red Sox Christmas wish list. dark
My point is there are other pitchers available that would bring greater value to a team in addition to costing much less money than Price—and the Boston Red Sox asking for prospects is not going to help their cause.