David Price’s next start will come in the majors, if all goes according to plan.
Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell revealed before Thursday night’s game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park that Price will make his 2017 season debut Monday afternoon in Chicago against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Price will pitch for Red Sox Monday. Expected to be on a bit tighter pitch count than normal. Farrell believes rehab struggles due to rust.
— Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) May 25, 2017
Price, who’s been dealing with an elbow issue that cropped up in spring training, struggled Wednesday in his second rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket, allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and threw 89 pitches in the outing, which marked his second shaky performance with the PawSox.
Price came away from Wednesday’s start without any physical issues, though, and that’s apparently enough for the Red Sox to give him the ball Monday in Chicago after wrapping up a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners at Fenway over the weekend.
“Anytime you’re coming back from an injury, it’s clearly how you feel,” Farrell told reporters Thursday, per the Boston Herald. “And yes that’s not to deemphasize the need to go out and perform. But first and foremost, all your work, all your thought process is about getting past whatever the ailment is. And I think you all witnessed his work in the simulated games.
“Those were game-like situations in his mind, from full uniform to throwing the velocity and intentions of the pitches that were made. That was in continuation through two starts on rehab, 90 pitches and he’s back to us.”
Price, who signed a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Red Sox before last season, is coming off a 2016 campaign in which he went 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA in 35 starts spanning 230 innings.
Thumbnail photo via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images
