The Red Sox’ faint Wild Card hopes may have taken another hit, as manager Alex Cora told reporters today that David Price won’t make his scheduled start against the Yankees this weekend after experiencing tightness in his ailing wrist during his most recent bullpen session (Twitter links via the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier). The outlook on infielder Michael Chavis is worse, it seems, as a setback in his rehab from an oblique strain has placed the remainder of the season in jeopardy for the 24-year-old rookie.
Price is currently able to throw fastballs but is having difficulty throwing his cutter and changeup. Cora didn’t offer a specific return date on the lefty, but his scratch will now relegate the Red Sox to a pair of bullpen games against the Yankees in their four-game series this weekend. Recently signed righty Jhoulys Chacin is a candidate to start tomorrow’s game in place of Price, but he’d apparently function as more of an opener than a traditional starter; Chacin hasn’t pitched in a big league game since July 24 and hasn’t pitched more than three innings in an appearance since July 14.
Price only just returned from a month-long absence that stemmed from a cyst in his wrist. The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey tweets that the left-hander underwent a platelet-rich plasma injection while on the injured list that was intended to help break up the cyst. Now, however, the ongoing discomfort in the area makes offseason surgery to remove the cyst a likelier outcome.
Chavis, meanwhile, has been out since Aug. 11 with the oblique injury that now threatens to put an to his rookie campaign. Long one of the organization’s top prospects, Chavis burst onto the scene in late April and turned in an OPS north of .900 through his first month-plus in the big leagues. His offensive contributions have slowly waned in recent months, though, and Chavis was mired in an ugly 5-for-32 slump at the time of his IL placement. In all, he’s given the Sox a respectable .254/.322/.444 line through 382 trips to the plate, clubbing 18 home runs, 10 doubles and a triple along the way.
Even with Chavis now unlikely to return in 2019, Cora noted that there’s still no thought to adding top infield prospect Bobby Dalbec to the Major League roster. Dalbec, also 24, hit .234/.371/.454 with 20 home runs in a very pitcher-friendly setting in Double-A — that slash line was 43 percent better than league average, per wRC+ — before graduating to Triple-A and hitting .257/.301/.478 (91 wRC+) in 123 plate appearances there.
Hurt right before the mighty Yanks come to town thats convenient !!!
That was my thought too. He’s basically the Yankees best player
You know the team he does even worse against? The Texas Rangers, oh how he must be terrified to face them!
He literally has an era over 8 against the Yankees since 2016 and something of a larger sample size than he has against Texas…
Still a higher ERA against Texas (in 21.1 innings)
What a surprise. Price never wants to face the Yankees. Over the past 3 years he’s proven that to be his MO. His managers enable the baby.
BTW-he would do the same if the Sox were still in the mix—he’s a chicken and terrible teammate.
Conspiracy theorists make me LOL. He’s a competitor with a guaranteed contract. Last year was supposed to have been an end to such B.S. I’m no Price fan but don’t you think he wants to make the playoffs. Any slip chance the team was likely over after Thursday’s loss but without Price, the team has no chance. When I read such nonsense, I see jealousy over last year’s amazing run. As good a year as the Yankees have had, Houston and Los Angeles have kept up step for step. Only one will win.
This has happened a few times before. I don’t recall ever hearing about Pedro missing a start versus the Yankees. Certainly a contrast from Ted Williams and the final day of the 1941 season. No risk, no reward.
With all his excuses and air of entitlement, this guy’s attitude is the worst and his talent has been way overrated for awhile now too. Man I really wish he would have opted out, so he could’ve taken his act to a Midwest team where it belongs.
Yay they have a chance!
Dalbec scares me. Threat to break 200k’s. Think some Sox fans are looking at too much hope from this guy, tho hope I am wrong. Glove is way better than Chavis and Chavis will never be a superstar of course, but Chavis IMO is the better of the 2 in the long run.
I haven’t seen anyone talking up Dalbec like he’s going to be a big star. He only gets mentioned because the Red Sox basically have no better prospects at AA or AAA.
But when he lights into a ball it jumps. IF they can improve his pitch recognition, he might end up a force. If not, his upside is Joey Gallo (not bad this year, but the previous body of work is unimpressive).
They have been very patient with Dalbec. He will strike out a ton, but they are getting him as many AB’s as possible to get him ready before calling him up.
Sounds like Yankee-itis to me Mr Price.
Yes, David Price is very frightened of pitching against the Yankees. Oh, how scary that must be for him.
Getting destroyed almost every time he takes the mound against them, yup you best believe he’d prefer to avoid the Bronx Bombers if possible.
Aww that’s too bad.
Anybody think the Sox can catch the Rays?
**crickets**
LOL
It doesn’t really matter if they catch the Rays. Need to Catch two teams. Rays Plus Cleveland or Oakland. Now that they’ve slipped to six and a half back at the end of the day today… WE ARE DONE.
Better luck next year. Let’s go Warriors !!
Don’t have the pitching to catch anyone this year. Also, top four batters in the lineup are awesome but rest are average at best. Travis and Moreland below average hitters, Bradley and Benny up and down. Would not sign Moreland after this year.
At this point, gotta think long term. Starting pitching has been very poor, other then ERod, this staff has been a bust this year from the get go which has to reflect on Cora right out of the gate. Should be interesting where this team goes in the off season. Team is barely over 500 at home , got to get hungry again!
Not so much a reflection of Cora. He always seems to find ways to elevate guys games like Devers and Bogaerts and he even made a shoddy bullpen look like it might belong on a major league roster.
This is a reflection that Dombrowski suffers from insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result). Solidifying the bullpen should have been priority #1 in the off-season, not making sure Steve Pearce found his way back and Sale got extended ahead of time. This proves DD doesn’t value the bullpen anymore now then he did in Detroit and in 2019 that mindset will have volatile results as we have seen.
That is ridiculous. Sale, when extended was a preemptive strike on one of the 3 best starters in the game and probably the best (at the time) in the AL. The hit on the salary cap was reduced to “only” 26m even due to Sale allowing a lot to be deferred.
Any pitcher’s elbow can have issue’s and why wouldn’t a team try to extend their ace.. especially one as top notch as Sale.. who is the best starter the team has had since Pedro??
This teams cycle is win and then tank. At least they are not in last place this year. What a great organization—the epitome of consistency.
Price and Sale—sounds like a brick and mortar retailer going out of business. In this case the Fabs will pay the PRICE for Trader Dave raping the farm system and having scant resources to reload because nothing was on SALE.
Don’t get carried away. Who did “Trader Dave” give up of consequence? Travis Shaw? Manny Margot?? He had to give up Moncada to get Sale, but nobody regrets that one. He also inherited a boatload of bad deals like Panda, Hanley, Rusney, Pedroia(and more). He managed to win it all right away. He made the perfect moves for Pearce and Eovaldi last year. He’s done just fine.
And Eovaldi wasn’t the best move!
Time to
Put Price on the the dL he’s useless when there really isn’t anything to play for hopefully they can find a taker for him
Nope. Same formula as Panda and the other overpaid Left fielder. Nobody wants them.
Much as I don’t mind seeing the Sox crumble this season, I have to disagree with the assertion that no one wants Price.
If Boston was smart, they’d shut he and Sale down for the rest of the season and let them rest up before 2020 in the hopes that they can reestablish value. This is what they should especially hope for on Price because if he gets good results on the field over the course of half the season, Boston should be able to find a trade partner as long as they eat a reasonable chunk of his contract.
Panda is a completely different situation. He was overweight, uncommitted to nutrition and fitness, and was a bad contract waiting to happen.
The Price contract was a bold one, everyone knew that, but I think you take more gambles with high end starters. At least they managed to get a ring out of him and he did contribute to that championship..
He does have an opt out clause in his contract for next year but not likely to exercise it but you never know. Maybe an
NL team will want him.
Price for another few years at 30 mil a pop … throw in Sale and all 150 lbs of him with that elbow at another 30 plus then add in Eovaldi ( Mr TJ surgery himself ) for good measure and I personally love it good luck peeps
Man, Yankee fans can’t breathe without involving themselves in Red Sox business. The obsession is real.
I think Yankee fans have a right to chime in on this story as many were anticipating that Price would take the hill against their team. However, again, Price will be pushed/scratched. It has nothing to do with an obsession about the Sox; this is a story directly related to the Yankees.
If this were a story simply about Rusney Castillo’s contract or paying off Crawford or Adrian Gonzalez or the Panda, Yankee fans would be trolls. However, Price being removed from a definitive series against the Yankees brings Yankee fans to the table.
You’re more than welcome to chime in when Jacoby Ellsbury stories crop up again. Until then, let’s hear more about Price’s injury and its peculiar yet familiar timing.
Yankee fans love to talk about other teams because while having a phenomenal 2019 and being consistently competitive, they haven’t won since 2009 and need to take their Prozac before they dirty their diapers.
To those classy Yankee fans I apologize for lumping all together.
Boston is DONE!!!!
Seems rather appropriate that the Red Sox season will end on the same night the Patriots’ season begins. Sunday night will be a home game for the Yankees. Boston fans aren’t going to pass up the chance to watch Tom Brady in order to see their team euthanized.
there are already euthanized. why would anybody want to miss watching a Tom Brady game?
Oh well, the Sox can call up another 5’6” player to take drug cheat bobble head Chavis’s place.
Everyone talks about Boston’s starting rotation, but other then Price and Sale is always was a house of cards. Pprcello won the Cy Young award a couple of years back but before and since that exemption season he has reverted back to what he was a 5th starter. Boston grabbed on Eovaldi, but prior to that good finish last year he was no more then a 5th starter at best and likely better coming out of the pen. Wright has been totally unheard of this season first due to 60 game suspension and then some injury which got him sent to Florida for extensive rehab. Cashner had a winning record with Baltimore but has don’t absolutely nothing since coming to Boston. There was no pressure pitching for Baltimore everyone knew they weren’t going to compete. And that leaves Roderquis but he can’t win enough to save the day.
And now to Sale and Price, first they aren’t young anymore, no one forced them to sign those huge contracts Boston threw at them, and both pitchers have been great but they both have thrown a lot of pitches over their careers and arms get tired and more prone to injuries.
I’m not a fan of Eckersley or Remy but last Sunday Remy commented that he believed Price had been suffering with that wrist problem all season. I don’t believe Boston can catch a wild card slot and once their season is over as with any other team I wouldn’t be surprised to see both Sale and Price undergo surgeries for their respective injuries
What’s not to like about Eck and Remy? Both are homers but both also give objective criticism when appropriate. Given Remy’s health issues, it’s simply great having him on the air.
Remy and O’Brien are great, Eckersley and O’Brien are great. Remy and Eckersley together is like fire and gas they feed off each other to see who can be the most biased. Althought they have toned it down ever since it became obvious the Red Sox won’t make post season. One guy I totally enjoyed who did some commentary for Sox games was Saltsmacia (probably spelled wrong) he is well spoken knows the current players through the league and knows the game like its played today, if NESN is looking for someone he’s a good choice.
the price was wrong for David Price. huge financial mistake for the Red Sox. other than 2018 he has been nothing other than a complete jerk. when a Hall of Famer has to tell you that you’re a jerk you must be a huge trip.
What makes being a hall of famer the end all authority, Ty Cobb was a racists, Babe Ruth drank smoked and ate like there was no tomorrow. Price was a great pitcher, but he is getting older and that arm has thrown a lot of ball. Fun to how Tampa, Detroit and Toronto all loved the guy when he played on those teams. So maybe its not Price who’s the jerk , maybe its the Hall of Famer who time was long gone and should do what he’s paid to do, provide unbiased colour commentary and leave the playing to the players.
David Price has to be at the top of the list of examples of why you should rarely offer a long-term contract to a player.
There are many worse contracts than the one given to Price. He was a big part of the reason they won the WS last year. It’s hard to argue with the signing after that. 3 more years are left on a contract that they could move if they wanted to. Let’s not overreact.
am I hearing you right? Are you saying that one World Series victory was worth paying that jerk well over two hundred million dollars? it’s hard to argue that he was worth the money.
You are absolutely hearing me right. They don’t win it all last year without him. That alone is worth a big chunk of the cash they gave him. That’s exactly what they signed him to do.
He’s not worth $30m/year, but I’m sure plenty of teams would give him $20+m for the next 3, as well. It’s not that bad of a contract.
So you’re saying he’s not worth $30M/year.
Both Tampa and Oakland are ahead of Boston this year with lower payrolls.
Boston wasn’t able to add any talent at the trade deadline due to their $240,743,731 payroll so you can certainly say that Boston was out of it in 2019 due to failure of their starting pitching staff and their over bloated payroll which prevented them from adding the people they needed to make it to the playoffs.
Overpaid/under performing players like David Price cost the Red Sox a playoff run in 2019 and maybe more years to come.
The real issue with Price’s contract that I could never understand wasn’t the money it was the length. Remember he had been with Toronto the second half of the season before he became a free agent, and he pitched lights out never lost a game, and Toronto would likely have resigned him but they have made it a policy not to give a pitcher more then a three year deal. Too many times you see pitchers who may have a great season or two and then become mediocre.
But no one should blame Price for his current contract, Boston came knocking with pen in hand and bags of money and as any player knows his career is basically a short time in his life and he’s better get it while its there..
Boston is a hard place for any player, your either loved or your hated, there is no middle ground. Next year fans will be screaming when Betts and Bradley go to free agencies and if Boston wants to bid for them they are going to need a bigger truck to bring the cash in, because its now not money its the statis of being the top player. Currently the three are Harper (first),Trout (second) and Machado (third), and its not about how they are playing this year its all about who got the most and thats what Betts wants. and who can blame him.