You’ve probably heard this storyline by now: David Price is ready to turn a new leaf in 2018.
The Boston Red Sox pitcher certainly is off to a good start on the field: He has yet to allow a run over 14 innings entering his Wednesday outing against the New York Yankees. But what about off the field, where Price has vowed to take a more positive approach after last season’s tumultuous campaign?
So far, so good, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
“In the clubhouse, he’s one of the leaders,” Cora said of Price on Tuesday during an appearance on SiriusXM MLB Network Radio. “He’s in a good place. He understands that this is a place that, for some people it’s not fun… (but) this is a good place to play baseball. They’re passionate about it.”
Cora says he delivered a message to Price this spring about the team’s philosophy entering 2018.
“This is what I told him before spring training: The circumstances around us are not going to dictate who we are as a group,” Cora said. “We can control what we can control as a clubhouse on the field, and we can block (out) everything away from our group and we’ll be fine.”
Cora’s words aren’t exactly revolutionary, but it appears Price is taking them to heart. For one, the 32-year-old has gone silent on Twitter since the regular season began, a notable development for a guy who has been very active on social media throughout his career. Meanwhile, Cora says Price has been mentoring Eduardo Rodriguez, working alongside Chris Sale and Rick Porcello to assist the young Red Sox starter as he worked back from a knee injury.
“I’ve been very pleased with the way David has acted and the way he’s going about everything,” Cora added.
It’s still very early in the season, of course. But so far, the Red Sox’s new manager seems impressed with his lefty ace.
