AL East Notes: Price, Yankees, Davis, Markakis

Signing free agent David Price could be a prudent move in the long run for the youth-minded Yankees, John Harper of the New York Daily News opines.  The Yankees are slated to have lots of spending room next offseason, but the pitching market next winter will not be nearly as robust as it is now.  By signing Price, the Bombers can secure a true ace while they have the opportunity.  Money, of course, could be a roadblock, but Harper suggests that the Yankees could trade Brett Gardner and his sizable salary to soften the blow, a move that could be possible following the acquisition of Aaron Hicks.

How much could Price cost?  Recently, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that the veteran hurler could garner a seven-year, $217MM deal on the open market.  However, he pegged the Cubs as his landing spot.

Here’s a look at the AL East:

• Orioles GM Dan Duquette told Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette of SiriusXM (link via ESPN) that they have the resources to both retain Chris Davis and add a top of rotation starter.  “And by that, I mean a No. 1, 2 or 3 starter,” Duquette said (via Cash Kruth of MLB.com). “So there’s some in that group [of free agents]. I don’t think there’s that many No. 1 starters, but there’s some twos and threes in there that we could be very competitive on.”  Duquette also said he expects free agency to move much more quickly this offseason because all parties understand the qualifying offer system much better than they have over the past two offseasons.
• Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders if the Orioles would pursue a reunion with Nick Markakis.  It’s not clear whether the Braves would considering moving the outfielder, who still has three years left on his free agent deal.  Not everyone in the O’s organization is on board with the idea of bringing Markakis back to Baltimore, but there are people in the organization with interest in at least talking to Atlanta, Kubatko writes.
• With defense valued highly across the majors, it couldn’t be a worse time for the Red Sox to try and unload Hanley Ramirez, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes.  Ramirez would seemingly appeal only to an American League team that needs a DH and Lauber theorizes that a team like the Orioles could have interest if Davis goes elsewhere.  Even for a DH-needy team, a Ramirez deal could be a hard sell given his contract.