Wednesday’s start might have been David Price’s last in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform.
The former Cy Young Award winner, who’s spent his entire career in the Rays organization, could be on his way out the door, according to a report from ESPN’s Buster Olney.
“Only the Tampa Bay Rays know for sure what will be deemed acceptable for David Price, or when they’ll be ready to say yes,” Olney wrote Wednesday in a column for ESPN.com. “But rival officials are monitoring the market in the way that meteorologists follow weather patterns, and they believe that the Rays are prepared to move the former Cy Young Award winner. As in, right now.”
Olney went on to say, though, that the Rays “aren’t actually close to trading Price, according to sources.” Still, the fans at Tropicana Field gave the 28-year-old lefty a standing ovation as he left the mound Wednesday after allowing one run on five hits over 8 1/3 innings in a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“If this is my last game here, thanks,” Price said after the game, via the Tampa Bay Times.
While the Rays have been terrible this season — their 32-48 record is the worst in the majors — Price has been solid, especially in the month of June. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since May 24 and continues to be a strikeout machine, leading the majors with 144 K’s and reaching double digits in each of his last five outings, including 11 against the Pirates.
“I’ve never been as good as I am right now, period,” Price said after his most recent start. “Not in 2012, not in college, not in high school. This is the best pitcher I’ve ever been. I feel in complete control on the mound at all times with all my pitches on both sides of the plate. That’s tough to do.”
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports names the Los Angeles Angels as one team that is interested in acquiring Price, but says L.A. likely does not have enough pieces to get a deal done.
