Although there were conflicting reports on how interested the Cubs were in the free agent pitcher, none of that matters anymore as the Red Sox have reportedly signed the biggest name on the free agent market for a megadeal of seven years and 7 million. The annual salary will equal Miguel Cabrera’s deal with the Detroit Tigers for the largest ever (regardless of position) and the total value will surpass the $215 million extension Clayton Kershaw got from the Los Angeles Dodgers almost two years ago for the most money given to a pitcher. He traded for Price in 2014 while in Detroit before flipping Price to Toronto last season but apparently Dombrowski had his eyes on reuniting with the 30-year old lefty since taking the Boston job. He went 9-4 with a 2.53 ERA over 146.0 innings with the Tigers before being dealt to the Blue Jays midseason. The Red Sox then agreed to a two year, $13-million deal with free-agent outfielder Chris Young pending a physical, FoxSports.com reported on Monday.
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This is what we imagine David Price could be saying to heartbroken Toronto Blue Jays fans.
Price won the Cy Young Award in 2012 while posting the best American League’s best ERA (2.56) and most wins (20).
Price’s contract will also have an opt-out clause after this third season with the Red Sox.
Last season, Young played for the Yankees, hitting 14 home runs and slugged. Now, it will be interesting to see the next moves of Dave Dombrowski as he attempts to make the Red Sox a contender.
Price, 30, will head a Red Sox rotation that struggled mightily in 2014 and is likely to include Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Eduardo Rodriguez going forward.
The contract will be a record for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history and is fully guaranteed, paying Price $31 million annually. Time will only tell if it was a wise move for them to pass on another starter over the age of 30, even if it was for one that could have helped immediately as opposed to the end of the contract.
But the Red Sox have prospects that could land another top-of-the-rotation starter.
One cloud over Price has been his postseason record.
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Ben Cherington and the rest of the Red Sox front office must be strong believers in the C.R.E.A.M. mentality. Even though the Cardinals did not lock up Price; it shows that general manager John Mozeliak is hunting for a huge deal and will eventually bring in a superstar this offseason.
