Price is taking a 'less is more' approach in his outing against the Red Sox, who he realizes is still a formidable opponent despite their slew of injuries. Like all pitchers, he's hoping to throw as few pitches as possible to maintain his strength throughout the effort.
"I'd like to throw three pitches in the first as opposed to 43," Price said, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
The Tampa Bay lefty is referring to his last start in Oakland, where he threw 43 pitches in the first against the Athletics. Price rebounded, however, throwing just 55 pitches through the next five innings. The Rays pulled out the late victory on the day, scoring three runs in the eighth to earn a 5-4 win over the A's.
But the Red Sox are a division rival, and Price is taking this game very seriously. He's been working on his pitching arsenal, and will be ready to break out his change up and possibly another pitch if the Red Sox are successful against his primary trio of a fastball, curve and slider.
"This is definitely a big series," Price said.
Price posts a 15-5 record this season with a 2.97 ERA.
