Boston Red Sox: David Price the ace in Chris Sale’s absence
With Chris Sale headed to the DL, the Boston Red Sox may be able to rely on David Price.
Yesterday’s performance by David Price was masterful. It was exactly the reason why the Boston Red Sox paid him $217 million to sign here.
Obviously, Chris Sale is still the team’s ace, given the fact that even with an injury he still leads the league in WHIP and ERA. But since the All-Star break, Price is 4-0 himself with a 1.09 ERA and a strikeout to walk ratio of 40 to 7. Not too shabby for a guy who most local pundits wrote off in the early summer.
Likewise, in the absence of Sale, it has truly been Price that has carried the rotation. While Nathan Eovaldi and Rick Porcello have dominated in spurts, Price has been near-dominant for well over six weeks.
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Furthermore, the Red Sox are 16-2 in David Price’s last 18 starts and 8-0 in his last eight. While some of it is due to the run support he receives, there is no question that he is having a bounce-back season.
However, in Boston, it will always be about championships and playoff success – something in which Price has never accomplished. Unfortunately, he is far too often remembered for his big game chokes than his masterful regular season performances. Many Boston Red Sox fans will die on this hill forever, but they should not take his regular season success for granted.
In his first season here, the team went from a last-place finish to winning the AL East with roughly the same lineup and roster. Though some of this was because of the core’s development as big leaguers and Porcello’s Cy Young season, a lot of it was because of Price’s strong 2016 campaign in which he went 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 2 complete games.
He’s definitely not been perfect, but he’s certainly been underappreciated. His spats with the media and sometimes poor-behavior aside, he’s produced well as a Red Sox. As he said yesterday, “This is the pitcher Boston signed. To get back to that (level), it’s about time.”
Next. Chris Sale still in driver’s seat for Cy Young despite injury. dark
Price has been the ace is Sale’s absence, but when the latter returns, let’s hope he puts his foot on the gas and finally produces in October.