Marcus Stroman has a little bit of history with the Red Sox.
So, it’s not all that surprising the New York Mets pitcher took a swipe at Boston while discussing the recent trade that sent David Price and Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Stroman and Price played together briefly with the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2015 season, and it’s obvious the former holds the latter in high regard.
“I’m so excited that David is out of that market because people were trying to question his character,” Stroman recently said, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale. “If you ask anybody that ever met or anyone who’s ever been around David, character has never been an issue. He’s the best teammate I ever had. He continues to be one of the best mentors in my life. It’s comical to me when I read things questioning his character. He’s a role model to every single guy who comes into that clubhouse.
“You watch what he does now going that he’s out of Boston.”
Price developed an interesting reputation during his four seasons in Boston. On one hand, he was instrumental in the Red Sox’s 2018 World Series run, which culminated with a five-game victory over the Dodgers in the Fall Classic. On the other, he ruffled a few feathers with how he handled the intense media scrutiny.
Stroman clearly is among those who believe Price received a raw deal, though, which, again, makes sense when you consider the public criticism Stroman directed at former Red Sox manager Alex Cora and NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley while pitching for the Blue Jays last season.