The Boston Red Sox needed to get an ace this past offseason, so they signed lefty David Price. He didn’t come cheap. Price inked a seven-year, $217 million deal with Boston. So far however, he hasn’t lived up to his big contract.
One of the main reasons that the Red Sox signed Price was because of how mediocre their pitching staff was in 2015. The team lacked a true ace. Clay Buchholz was really Boston’s best pitcher last season. He went 7-7 with a 3.26 ERA, but only made 18 starts due to injuries. Buchholz has always been a decent pitcher, but he’s never consistently put up ace-like numbers. Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski knew that his team needed a true ace going into the 2016 season. Price was supposed to be that guy.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, he has not been the pitcher they expected him to be. Overall, he has a record of 8-5. However, this isn’t a good indicator of how Price has actually pitched. His ERA is up to 4.74. He’s allowed 109 hits and 57 earned runs in 102 innings pitched. Price just hasn’t looked like the dominant pitcher he’s always been.
His season got off to a rough start when he posted a 5.76 ERA in April, a month that included a start in which he allowed eight earned runs against his former team, the Tampa Bay Ray. May wasn’t much better, as Price had a 4.62 ERA in the six starts he had in the month. He pitched somewhat better in June, as his ERA was only 4.08 for the month. He pitched better earlier in June, but he’s struggled over his last few starts. Last Friday against the Texas Rangers, Price only lasted 2.1 innings and let up six earned earned runs on 12 hits and had just one strikeout. His start on Wednesday on the road against the Rays was somewhat better, as he gave up four runs over 6.1 innings while collecting ten strikeouts. However, Price took the loss in the game.
Given that we’re now into July, the MLB season is basically halfway over. Price’s stats at the halfway point aren’t all that flattering. He still has time to pick it up, but so far his adjustment to Boston hasn’t gone smoothly. Part of the problem could be pitching at Fenway Park. It’s never exactly been known as a pitcher’s ballpark. Given the short dimensions in left field, it’s hard for a lefty to have success pitching at Fenway. Still however, Price has always been a strikeout pitcher. In 2012 when he won the AL Cy Young Award while with the Rays, he struck out 205 batters. Two seasons later, he had a league-leading 271 strikeouts combined with the Rays and Detroit Tigers. In the 16 starts he’s made so far in 2016, he’s struck out 120 batter. His stats in this department have decline. The problem is that he’s allowing more hits and home runs. Price has already surrendered 15 homers this year. The most he’s ever given up in a single season is 25. That might change the way things are going.
David Price needs to turn things around quickly. He still has half the season to go, but he has yet to show any signs of turning the corner. Boston needs him to be the ace he’s been throughout his career. Right now, David’s definitely not worth the price that the Red Sox paid for him.