Red Sox Debate: Should fans want David Price to opt out of his contract?
David Price will have the opportunity to opt out of his contact with the Boston Red Sox after this season. Should fans want him to go or stick around?
There isn’t a more polarizing player on the Boston Red Sox than David Price. Even when things are going well for the talented lefty there will still be no shortage of critics eager to tear him down. Whether it’s the misconception that he never steps up in big moments or his clashes with the media. Price has his fair share of appreciative supporters who want to keep him in a Red Sox uniform yet he will always have a rather vocal mob looking to run him out of town.
One of those sides is going to get their wish after this season. Price has an opt-out clause in his contract that would allow him to hit the free agent market this winter. If he doesn’t exercise this clause then he’s locked in for another four years at a total of $127 million.
A lot will factor into Price’s decision. Does he think he can bank more long-term money on a new contract by diving back into free agency? Is there any truth to the notion that Price has never been comfortable in Boston and can’t wait to get out of here?
These are questions only Price can answer. While fans have no say in the matter, we can still debate whether or not we want the enigmatic southpaw to opt out.
From the moment Price signed his lucrative 7-year, $217 million deal, I was in the camp hoping he would opt out in 2018. Not because I was against adding Price. I was excited about the free agent acquisition. It wasn’t the $31 million average annual salary that bothered me either. Considering the deals other top-tier free agent starters received around the same time frame, that figure actually seemed about right.
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It was the length of the deal that concerned me. Pitchers are inherently risky long-term investments. The contract seemed destined to be an albatross by the final season, when Price is scheduled to earn $32 million at the age of 36.
The opt-out clause provided an ideal scenario. The Red Sox could add an ace starting pitcher who should meet or exceed value on the front end of the deal. If he opted out after three seasons, the Red Sox could let him walk so another team could take the risk on paying him into his mid-30’s.
It hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. Price hasn’t lived up to his contract thus far. He was better than most will give him credit for in 2016 but a rocky start to his tenure in Boston soured his numbers. He missed most of last season due to injury and pushed more fans into turning against him with his public spats with the media.
By the end of the 2017 season, the concept of Price being a worthwhile investment for the full duration of his contract appeared to be a long shot.
This season has been a year of redemption for Price. A pair of meltdowns against the New York Yankees early in the year, along with a baffling controversy over his video game habits, had fans once again turning on him. Price has since righted the ship, proving that he’s still capable of being the pitcher Boston thought they signed.
The lefty is 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break. He silenced his doubters by dominating a playoff-bound Cleveland Indians squad in his last outing. Over the last two months, Price has been better than at any point during his time with the Red Sox.
Which leaves us to wonder – are we sure we want this guy to leave? We ran a poll on Twitter which revealed that fans are surprisingly hopeful that Price will stay. It’s hard to believe that would have been the case a few months ago.
Do you want David Price to opt out of his contract with the #RedSox after this season?
— BoSox Injection (@BoSoxInjection) August 24, 2018
I’m starting to lean toward that stance as well. I haven’t crossed all the way over yet, recognizing there is still significant risk in paying for four more seasons of Price. The Red Sox already have a sky-high payroll and will need to lock up core assets like Mookie Betts and Chris Sale before Price’s deal would run out. That money could be utilized elsewhere if Price leaves.
Still, it’s hard to part with a pitcher who is performing as well as Price is now. The question of whether or not we want him to stay in Boston boils down to how confident we are in his ability to keep this up.
I’m starting to come around to the idea that Price can still be a valuable part of this rotation for a few more years. I was initially skeptical that he would hold up that long but Price has become a different pitcher since he came to Boston.
This is no longer an overpowering hurler who can blow batters away with a 95-96 mph fastball. Price sits at about 93 mph with his four-seam fastball. He can’t throw it by everyone anymore so he’s been forced to adapt. Price paints the corners to rack up called strikes with that fastball, which he now throws a career-low 47.2 percent of the time. He’s increased the usage of his cutter, relying on the extra movement to compensate for the dip in velocity. Those pitches set up his changeup, which is his best pitch when he has it working for him.
Price has reinvented himself for this stage of his career. This version seems capable of holding up over the course of his remaining contract. I wouldn’t have expected that when he signed with the Red Sox but it now seems realistic.
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If Price does opt out then it will free up a large chunk of payroll space that can be allocated toward another free agent or saved to lock up their young core. Even if Price continues to perform, there may be greater priorities for the Red Sox to spend that money on. One the other hand, Price is proving that he can be a valuable asset to this team. If he does decide to stay – if he sends a strong message that he wants to be here – I won’t be disappointed.