Red Sox: David Price will make one more minor league rehab start
By Sean Penney
Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price will make an extra rehab start prior to his 2017 debut after Friday’s outing was cut shorter than expected.
We’ve waited all season to see David Price take the mound for the Boston Red Sox and it appears we’ll now have to wait a bit longer.
Manager John Farrell confirmed that after speaking with Price on Saturday the decision was made to have the lefty get one more tune-up before he rejoins the big league club. He’ll now start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday, after which he should be ready to make his first start of the season for the Red Sox the following week.
Price began the season on the disabled list after he was shut down during spring training due to elbow soreness.
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The good news is that the latest delay to Price’s season debut isn’t due to a setback. While he was initially expected to only need the one rehab start, that plan was reassessed after Price lasted only two innings against the Buffalo Bisons. The former Cy Young winner allowed three earned runs on five hits and a walk, but was lifted after tossing 65 pitches in those two frames.
Price reported that he felt great physically the next day and his early exit was the result of having to work hard in a second inning where his pitch count was quickly rising. Another minor league start was deemed necessary in order to help get his pitch count up to the point where he can be counted on to last somewhere in the vicinity of his normal workload.
"“Just to continue to build out the innings, the number of pitches thrown, and get back into the flow of things,” Farrell said of the next goal. “It’s a matter of going out and executing pitches. That’s not to say he didn’t last night, but there were a high number of foul balls, deep pitch counts, as we know, and deep at-bats. But the bottom line is he feels great physically.”"
Farrell said that Price threw an “aggressive” long-toss on Saturday and will add a light bullpen session on Sunday in preparation for his next start.
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It’s unclear who will pitch for the Red Sox on Thursday, which unofficially was the date Price was penciled in to make his debut. Hector Velazquez was given the last shot in that rotation spot, but did little to convince the team he deserves another after getting roughed up for six runs in five innings against the Oakland A’s in his major league debut. Kyle Kendrick was even worse in two starts made earlier this season, so we’ve probably seen the last of him.
Brian Johnson wasn’t exactly dazzling in his one spot start, yet he may be the best option among a group that lacks any appealing options. The lefty is 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA in Pawtucket this season. Henry Owens is also having a solid season for the PawSox, although we have plenty of evidence telling us that he’s not a big league caliber starter.
If the Red Sox surprise us with another option to start on Thursday then it will require a 40-man roster move, since those four are the only starting pitchers the organization has in their minor league system that are currently on the roster.
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Boston has struggled to fill the No. 5 spot in the rotation, especially since losing Steven Wright to a season-ending injury. At least whoever they are forced to turn to next week shouldn’t be around for too long. It will only be one start, after which Price should finally be ready to return.