According to a source briefed on the negotiations, they agreed on Tuesday on a seven-year, $217 million contract with lefthander David Price.
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[ Photo by Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images ]In price, the Red Sox locked down one of the two best starters on the free agent market.
Price was acquired by the Blue Jays near the trade deadline last season in a deal with the Detroit Tigers.
Price posted a 2.30 ERA with Detroit and Toronto a year ago.
Now, unless he opts out of his contract or is traded, Price has a chance to become the first pitcher to spend his entire career in the American League in the DH era and reach the Hall of Fame. Even though his 2016 could be nearly as good as this past season, I doubt years beyond that would be any better than league average, especially since he’s already at his age 32 season.
The deal, which is $2 million more than Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw makes, also is the biggest for the Red Sox in yearly salary and overall cost.
The Red Sox are clearly going for it again this offseason to try and put 2015’s lousy campaign behind them. Price spent the first six seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, including a Cy Young year in 2012. Price is a veteran of the AL East and remains mostly immune to park factors, like Fenway Park’s high penchant for runs scored but mediocre homer allowance.
Young, who played last season for the Yankees, is expected to sign a multi-year deal. In 163 games for the Yankees, he hit.257/.326/.465 (118 OPS+) with 17 home runs and 2.1 rWAR. This will also allow for Clay Buchholz and Rick Porcello to be in the middle of the rotation – more suitable spots for the two.
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Red Sox manager John Farrell said last week the team intends to deploy Jackie Bradley Jr.in center field next season, with Mookie Betts in right and Rusney Castillo in left.
