Red Sox left-hander David Price has been among the majors’ best starters for the majority of his career, but playoff success has eluded the 33-year-old. In his latest disappointing October performance, Price threw 1 2/3 innings of three-run ball Saturday during a 6-2 loss to the Yankees, who evened the teams’ ALDS matchup at a game apiece. Amazingly, Price now owns an 0-9 record and a 6.03 ERA over 10 postseason starts, though his ongoing struggles on the game’s biggest stage won’t lead the Red Sox to pull him from their rotation. Both manager Alex Cora and pitching coach Dana LeVangie expressed confidence in the five-time All-Star after Saturday’s game, per Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. While Mastrodonato argues that the Red Sox should think about shifting Price to a relief role for the rest of the postseason, the team’s not considering it. Price is “one of our starters,” said Cora, who added that he simply had a “bad outing” in Game 2.
Given that the ALDS is only a best-of-five series, Boston won’t need Price to start again versus the Yankees. But after throwing just 42 pitches Saturday, Price could function as a reliever before the series is out. Price told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com and other reporters he’d be ready to pitch again as early as Game 3 on Monday, and he also declared (via Mastrodonato) that he’s “looking forward to winning games in October as a starter.”
More on Boston, whose series is shifting to New York for Games 3 and 4:
- The Red Sox are deciding between right-handers Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi for the third game of the series, Cora said Saturday (via Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston). It appears they’ll turn to Porcello, though, as Eovaldi suggested he’s lined up for Game 4, Rob Bradford of WEEI tweets. Porcello’s only a few days removed from working out of Boston’s bullpen, having thrown 15 pitches and picked up a pair of outs in the eighth inning of its Game 1 win Friday. The 29-year-old functioned solely as a starter during the regular season, as has been the case throughout his career, and pitched to a 4.28 ERA/4.01 FIP with 8.94 K/9 and 2.26 BB/9 in 191 1/3 innings. Porcello has been more effective on the road than at home this year, which seems to bode well for the Red Sox’s current situation. He posted a 4.77 ERA/4.63 FIP at Fenway Park during the regular season and a 3.86 ERA/3.48 FIP outside of Boston.
- First baseman Mitch Moreland exited Saturday’s game in the eighth inning because of right hamstring tightness, Cora announced (via Cotillo). It doesn’t seem to be a serious issue, however, with Cora saying that Boston probably won’t remove Moreland from its ALDS roster. If healthy, the left-handed hitter’s likely to start Monday against Yankees righty Luis Severino, Cotillo writes. Boston replaced him Saturday with the righty-swinging Steve Pearce – who, to his credit, has outproduced Moreland against RHPs this year.
Rocket32
Red Sox please pitch Price in relief in both of the next 2 games. That way the Yankees are a near lock to advance to the ALCS. Price is well on his way to becoming a Yankee Legend. Red Sox paying 200M for a Choker who can’t pitch in October or against their top rival Yankees ever.
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
Yankees have had plenty of free agent flops. You know it, we know it. Yanks had a nice game last night, but you forgot game one already? Let’s see how the series turns out. May the best team win. I hope it goes 5. Epic baseball.
lovethatdirtyh20
Anyone know where Ellsbury is? I miss him.
Phanatic 2022
He’s having lunch with panda
deweybelongsinthehall
Please. With the budgets of these teams, there will be both hits and misses. Stanton contract will be regretted in a few years unless he helps bring in a ring or two.
lovethatdirtyh20
If so, he’s getting outplayed at the buffet table as well.
lovethatdirtyh20
Dewey, I’d rather see the owner spend and fail in lieu of not spending at all. This ain’t Oakland or San Diego. Boston runs with the big doggies on the porch
deweybelongsinthehall
Agreed. Mets’ fans are crying for the team to spend like a top tier market. They do spend but won’t spend the extra that is needed to compete with the big boys.
skip 2
I heard Panda ate all the lunch
jd396
Yeah, I’d love it if my team had the revenue to financially outleverage the rest of the league too.
lovethatdirtyh20
Dewey they tried with Cespedes. Wright’s end of contract was a mistake.. They are still paying Bobby Bonilla. They might be shell shocked….. lol
MetsYankeesRedSox
They’re at the 19th hole somewhere with Cespedes.
extreme113
I heard he ate Ellsbury.
pinstripes17
If the Yankees could have come through more than just once with RISP they would have won game 1 easily.
lovethatdirtyh20
pinstipes….. IF? lol
Steve9955
Yeah, and if the Queen had balls, she’d be the King!
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
If, shoulda, coulda, the refs, the umps, that one pitch back, that last dropped ball, if so and so wasn’t hurt ..
Scoreboard is all that counts, pal.
lovethatdirtyh20
Gary, IF and only IF the baseball gods would give NY and only NY mulligans, the world would be a better place. Honest, lol
deweybelongsinthehall
The Yankees are based on the home run. You win and die that way.
5TUNT1N
One sided comment, same could be said about NYY closer Chapman and his 8.0 ERA against the Red Sox thanks for the CRAP HOT TAKE!
bostonbob
agreed, what he said
biasisrelitive
Idk about that price has been good in relief in the playoffs
ronnsnow
Price is one of the worst signings in Red Sox history. Right up there with Pablo Sandoval and Carl Crawford. No one should be surprised he failed again.
Cardinals17
Thank you Boston for over bidding the Cardinals for Price!!!
thegreatcerealfamine
Perhaps Price just felt the same way as Stanton. Who’s pitching in the playoffs by the way?
lovethatdirtyh20
Cereal fake Cards fans are funny. the city that invented baseball and gave 100M to Wainwright. Did they make the playoffs?
thegreatcerealfamine
How about the lettuce they gave Fowler? I don’t think he’s leading off for them this week.
lovethatdirtyh20
You mean hitting 180 for 82.5 million isn’t good? lol
deweybelongsinthehall
Cereal, losing Wright hurts Boston more than is being written. If Moreland can’t go, I wish they’d play Holt at 1B against Severino. He’s been great since August and I’d like to leave Pierce to pinch hit late for Leon if the situation warrants.
jodygerut
Price 2018: 16-7, 3.58/4.02 ERA/FIP, 176IP. Eat a Snickers.
pinstripes17
October is what is remembered, bruh.
lovethatdirtyh20
Good thing the Sox had Price or NY would have finished 10 plus games out of first.
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
That’s right, load up on him. He had a bad game yesterday and he struggles in the postseason. Just pile it on keep going. Nice job. Every other team in the league has had only perfect signings and no free agent flops. Pile on bro, pile on.
We’ll see how the series turns out. Yanks win, my hats off to a great team. Heck they won 100 games as well this year. Resilient bunch, great lineup and homegrown guys, almost flew under the radar.
Sox win, we’ll probably never hear from you.
lovethatdirtyh20
Gary, excellent post. Totally agree. Always great to read someone who isn’t trolling. Tip of the cap to you!
Rocket32
Well at least he helps them during the regular season.
5TUNT1N
As important as October baseball is, you have to do well enough in the previous 162 games to play in October and people sometimes forget just how difficult a 162 game season is for an athlete! Being a giants fan I understand what postseason hero’s looks like! But I understand more that it’s the collective team effort that afforded them the opportunity to shine in October!
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
Here’s a big key. How will the 4th starters pitch? Pressure packed games and big stage.
Here’s hoping that Eovaldi can pull through in familiar Yankee Stadium. We’ll see.
eileenyankees9
Rocket, Ronn, Cardinals,
Jody,
My hats off to you and your posts, but JODY, omg, I
spilled my coffee laughing my ARZ off with yours.
Hugs to all, and I hope Price gets head case help, oh wait,
no I don’t LOL⚾️⚾️⚾️⚾️
eileenyankees9
I finally watched someone
worse than Sonny Gray!!!!
Priceless!
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
Lol, Sonny Gray has to be the worst deadline trade of all time.
Yankees couldn’t see that there was no way he could pitch in the pressure packed American League East?
Even Dombrowski saw that LOL
lovethatdirtyh20
Sonny Gray…. LMAO
eileenyankees9
Love, you just cracked me up.
Tks
lovethatdirtyh20
I try my best for my cousins to the south.
eileenyankees9
LOL
andrewf
The Yankees messed with his pitch mix and that caused his bad performance.
pinstripes17
How’s Drew Pomeranz working out? ERA still above six?
lasershow45
Didn’t you just say that October is what’s remembered? Dude’s not even on the roster. Pomeranz who?
eileenyankees9
Gary,
lolol, he is something else, and neves belonged in NY
eileenyankees9
Gary,
lolol, he is something else, and neves belonged in NY
NEVER
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
You got to swing and Miss sometimes. It’s all a crapshoot really. If it was easy one team would win every single year.
lovethatdirtyh20
That’s impossible. There is no one worse than Sonny.
From my point of view he is the best. Can’t wait to see him next year.
eileenyankees9
Haaaaaa, lmao!!
lovethatdirtyh20
What would Price be worth on the open market if he were a free agent?
Would he get 4/120 and opt out? Doubtful.
4/100M? 4/90M? 4/80? 4/60?
Kershaw and Corbin are the big two. Keuchel is in there as well. After those 3 its Price.. Sox need to determine what his money point for other for other clubs and offer him up. His overall numbers are good. 3.58 era 1.14 WHIP 4.4 WAR pick your stats and he ranks high among starting pitchers. Subtract out NY and he is even better. Boston cannot have a starter that can’t pitch against the Yankees. Just can’t. Ship his butt out. Period, there is no other option..
MetsYankeesRedSox
Send him to Baltimore then he won’t have to worry about playoff disasters.
lovethatdirtyh20
MetsYanksRedSox
LOL, great choice.
HubcapDiamondStarHalo
Price is “one of our starters,” said Cora, who added that he simply had a “bad outing” in Game 2.
And, of course, in the other 8 games he lost while sporting a 6.03 postseason ERA…
lovethatdirtyh20
Cora’s practicing for his part time job doing stand up comedy in the off season.
eileenyankees9
Omg, lmao, you are so right
after his dumb comment, well he should get a good comic job because I laughed my arz off!
eileenyankees9
Waz,
Cora made an ass out himself saying Price had a bad outing. Could not believe that, but glad you finished
his statement honestly and perfectly!! Lol
401fan
Price looked nervous from pitch one,Hes the softest athlete in sports!
Bosin Rag
Bartolo is the lord your god, and you shall have no gods before him!
Bruin1012
The Yankees have an absolute lefty killing lineup. If you took Price Yankee starts out he had an elite year but unfortunately that lineup just kills him. He should not appear in another game against the Yankees this year except maybe as a situational lefty. If you are a lefty and want to beat that beast of right handed lineup you have to have elite stuff like Sale has otherwise they are going to murder you.
The Red Sox will go with two righties that should be tough on the Yankees in Yankee stadium and both have had success against the Yankees and there overly right hand lineup. Just have to win one and get it to Sale in game 5 like the Red Sox chances then. Let Price rest and be ready for Houston who has pitched better against then the Yankees.
MB923
It’s good to be confident. But you gotta hope both Eovaldi and Porcello go at least 6.
eileenyankees9
MB,
Porcello is a great pitcher..
I cannot believe the olden days when pitchers went 7, 8
innings or pitch.a complete game.
So many changes. I feel so old, oh, wait, I am!!
lovethatdirtyh20
Bruin1012 I couldn’t agree more with your post. Sparse use of Price vs NY would be prudent.. They hit righties, mug Price. Keep him away from the mound, more so in NY.
Hope to take one and give the ball to Sale in a game 5 vs Happ.
xSpecBx
If the Red Sox lose to the Yankees it will be because of dombrowski not getting bullpen help at the deadline. The Sox were in game 2 even with price not pitching well but the bullpen couldn’t hold the Yankees lineup down to give their lineup a chance. Look at the Yankees game 1. Happ throws up a stinker and the Yankees bullpen at least gives them a chance to get back into it.
seth3120
A bad postseason or two may not make you a guy who can’t win the big ones but that’s one hell of a track record hes built. Just as there are guys that always seem to shine when it’s on the line and we all marvel over it there are guys like Price who fall flat on their faces