The Boston Red Sox were definitely in a “Giving Tuesday” mood on Tuesday as a major announcement was made. Now Dombrowski, as Red Sox president, has Price back. If Price is able to get more than four years and ~$127 million dollars at age 34, then he certainly played beyond his contract, and the Sox got more than they hoped for when they inked him to this deal.
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The deal didn’t shock baseball executives because the industry knew Dombrowski had targeted Price, whom he acquired from the Rays for the Tigers in 2014.
The former Cy Young Award victor and 8-year veteran went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA between the Tigers and Blue Jays last season. Price has no deferred money and can opt-out after three years.
Now the thing is whether the signing could help the Red Sox or not.
The Red Sox and Price, the stud lefty free agent, agreed Tuesday on a seven-year deal for $217 million, the richest contract in history for a pitcher.
I applaud Dave Dombrowski for delivering on what he promised. Maybe the deal will look like an albatross in the later stages, but the Red Sox are just anxious about the next few seasons in front of them. They should be a favorite to win the AL East. Now that Toronto has lost Price, the Yankees don’t appear to be interested in the free agent market, and the Orioles have a lot of rebuilding to do, especially if they lose first baseman Chris Davis, lefthanded starter Wei-Yin Chen and setup man Darren O’Day.
Once made official, the deal will represent the largest contract ever given to a pitcher, narrowly edging out Clayton Kershaw’s $215m deal with the Dodgers.
Whatever. This has been a complete ideological shift after three last-place finishes wrapped around that 2013 World Series title at Fenway Park.
Perhaps the Jays’ GM had seen the writing on the wall back at the trade deadline and was all in on Price with the knowledge that he was likely on his way out as GM. The question in Boston now is not as much, is David Price going to pitch well, but will he be enough to make them serious contender to make the playoffs.
But the Red Sox have prospects that could land another top-of-the-rotation starter. As a result of Price’s signing, the team might shy away from signing an elite bullpen arm like Darren O’Day, who is expected to command closer money.
Price is known for being a clubhouse leader among both pitchers and position players. They stood by that principle in 2014, first by lowballing Jon Lester on an extension offer, then by trading him to Oakland and watching him sign with the Cubs in the winter.
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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher David Price delivers to the Kansas City Royals during second inning game six American League Championship Series baseball action in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, October 23, 2015.
