The Red Sox will activate lefty David Price to make his season debut on Monday, skipper John Farrell told reporters including Ian Browne of MLB.com (via Twitter). He had spent the early portion of the season rehabbing from an elbow injury.
That’s obviously welcome news for a Boston organization that hasn’t exactly sprinted out of the gates. While the club is in fine position at three games over .500, it sits third in a tightly packed AL East.
The rotation, in particular, has been a source of some consternation. Chris Sale has been every bit as good as advertised, and Eduardo Rodriguez is throwing quite well. But reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello hasn’t been nearly as dominant as he was last year, Drew Pomeranz has struggled, and Steven Wright was knocked out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.
With the plug-in options scuffling in Wright’s stead, Price will be welcomed back with open arms. The expectation had been that he and Sale would make up the best lefty-lefty rotation duo in the game, but his worrying spring injury threw that in doubt. Now, the team will finally see what it has in a complete staff, though all eyes will remain on Price to see how he responds.
After all, the 31-year-old southpaw isn’t just another pitcher. He signed the richest-ever contract for a starter in the 2015-16 offseason, landing with the Red Sox for $217MM over seven years. But the long-time ace managed only a 3.99 ERA in his league-leading 230 frames last year before the elbow injury arose this spring. His return — and his health and effectiveness — are thus of significant importance to the team. (It matters for Price’s bottom line, too; he can opt out after 2018, but will surely only do so if he thinks he could earn quite a bit more money.)
Given the stakes, it’s perhaps a bit surprising that the Sox are moving Price back up to the majors right now. He has thrown only 5 2/3 innings over two starts on his rehab assignment, allowing six earned runs on 12 hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. Perhaps that’s not particularly concerning for a pitcher of Price’s standing, but if nothing else it’ll increase the challenge for managing his workload. Skipper John Farrell acknowledged that he expects to hold Price to a pitch count — that coming by way of Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, on Twitter — while also saying that he thinks the poor rehab starts were attributable to the veteran shaking off the rust from his long layoff.
Got a bad feeling about this
Rushing a pitcher to the majors without the benefit and building up his arm strength is stupid. Should have kept him down two more weeks at least!
One would certainly think DetroitDave knows way more than the medical staff, pitching coach, manager, and the pitcher himself that has thrown over 1,600 innings in the show
Me too
I don’t think this is rushing him. They progressed him very slowly with bullpen sessions, starting with just his fastball at 15-25 pitches and then worked up every few days until he reached sim games, where he threw several, and then progressed to rehab starts, where he was capped by pitch count each outing, and eventually threw… four? I know three for sure, not sure on the fourth. The Sox have been very, very careful with him. If TJS is inevitable, it’ll happen, but if they waited any longer to rehab him, they would just be postponing surgery if it truly is a necessity. Let him ride.
Richest contract for a pitcher.
Poorest results for a #1 pitcher in games that mattered.
He forced “DD”‘s hands because he told him, “let’s get this charade over. Put me out there to blow out whatever is left so I can get back on the DL. With their mismanagement I will now lose this season plus at least half of next season. Just plain stupid and it’s costing me $$, as I will not be able to opt out for as much.
Agree this feels like a rush. That being said we’ve never really had a good read on the diagnosis. Crazy thought but what if they worked him out of the pen for a week or two?
Not a terrible idea, half of the time this year we’ve been blown out or been blowing someone out so we’d certainly have some innings for him
“What would happen of they let him work out of the pen for a week or two”? Chris Sale would actually get some wins!
Seems like a bit of desperation from the Sox. As a Yankees fan, I don’t hate it, but as a baseball fan, I do. Why not wait another week? It’s not going to put you out of contention at this point in the season.
I agree with you. Seeing how he scuffled in his rehab assignment has me excited as a Yankees fan, but as a fan of the game and David Price, I really don’t see the point of rushing him back so soon. I imagine they saw he could at least make all of his pitches, but it still seems unnecessary. For his sake, I hope he’s ready
I respectfully disagree. Why wouldn’t the Sox and Price want to come back now after being slowly built back his stamina and strength over the last two months? If they wait any longer and he ends up needing TJ, missing all of 2018, and everyone loses. It’s poop or get off the pot with him for 2017 in his mind (as if I knew) and if his elbow doesn’t seem to have the stability needed, he’s going under the knife earlier.
But it can look like desperation and that perception is understandable.
I agree with you, orsillo. However, this is no place for such a thoughtful respectful post. Get that grownup stuff outta here.
Not going to be welcome news when he gets lit up!
Welcome back DP! Go Sox!
Wonder what Terry Collins thinks about Price’s injury timeline?
Why would Terry Collins care?
The Mets have also informed Terry Collins not to discuss the Red Sox players injury timeline
DD has screwed up the Sox. Price’s activation is a sign of desperation.
I bet he reactivates his injury. Not sure what the rush is. They are close in wild card and division and will be getting some players back from injury for second half. I would be happy with them for the most part so far considering injuries. DD is going to put them in a bad place for a long time.
rush come on pitching in Pawtucket or in the majors to me Is the same thing I rather have him work with the big club Then velazquez Brian Johnson or Henry Owens
So true Jay82.
The manager of my fantasy team said he’s 100% ready!!
They are bringing him back way to soon
To 99% of these comments…Lol. Looks better than he ever has for us.