During last offseason when Lester had the decision to go back to Boston or pitch for the Chicago Cubs, he ended up going to the Cubs to a six-year deal worth $150 million. Price finished the 2015 season with an 18-5 record and posted a 2.45 ERA, 225 strikeouts. That would be ludicrous, meaning the Red Sox will be stuck paying Price through age 38, which might turn into a eerily similar situation to the Yankees and CC Sabathia. In the past week, Jordan Zimmermann – five years, $110 million to Detroit – and Price have agreed to deals.
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And the difference between them sure as heck isn’t $82 million, which represents the gulf separating the Sox’ best offer to Lester from their winning bid for Price.
So much for Price having reservations about playing in Boston or with Red Sox icon David Ortiz. Because while John Henry and Co. are clearly moving on from one organizational philosophy – a refusal to dole out big bucks to free-agent starters – they’re still committed to the dream of the “player development machine” Theo Epstein promised so many years ago.
Interestingly enough, over the course of the last 16 months Dombrowski has traded for David Price, traded him away to Toronto Blue Jays, and now signed him to a record setting deal – making his first big free agent splash as a member of the Red Sox front office. “I hope he will help us”, Ortiz told 102.5 FM in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Wednesday.
On Monday, the Red Sox signed outfielder Chris Young to a two-year, $13 million deal.
According to reports, the Jays did not make Price an offer. Price can opt out after the 2018 season. The lefthander was, without a doubt, the best free-agent starter on the market. It was important for them to get an ace of the staff. Price will anchor the rotation that includes Rick Porcello, Clay Buchholtz, Wade Miley, Joe Kelly, and Eduardo Rodgriuez. Price, unlike Pujols, will likely still be playing at the end of those seven years, but it won’t be a surprise at all to see him finish them somewhere other than Boston. The Red Sox have been missing a pitcher that could give them an ideal start as none of the 12 pitchers used last season by Red Sox managed to reach 200 innings.
A left-hander who was the A.L.’s top pitcher in 2012 and the runner-up twice in seven full major league seasons, Price has a 3.09 ERA and 104 wins.
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David Price teed off Tuesday morning at a charity golf tournament in Las Vegas believing he would be spending the next seven years pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals.
