Red Sox lefty David Price can carry postseason momentum into 2019
With David Price finally silencing his critics with dominant postseason appearances, his 2019 season can help him spring on and extend his greatness.
Right now, David Price is nothing short of a cult figure to the Boston Red Sox faithful. This comes following a series of immaculate outings produced by the left-hander in Boston’s 2018 World Series winning postseason run.
After many previous playoff outings in which Price didn’t show and suffered at the hands of his opponents, on many occasions, everything he did this year shows what kind of pitcher he really is. In the eyes of Sox fans he is a hero in the month of October and what he did last month can also able him to push on next year and become the pitcher he has been in years gone by for the entirety of the season.
The five-time All-Star has most definitely shown glimpses of the Tampa Bay David Price who won the 2012 AL Cy Young award and was admired by everyone who could recognize pitching talent. These bursts from Price were a large factor in the Red Sox’s ability to regain the Commissioners Trophy and solidify themselves as the best team in baseball.
When a 30-year-old Price signed a 7-year, $217 million deal back in 2016, many were quick to state that this was going to go the wrong way and that we had seen the prime of the ace. However, three years later, Price has secured himself a World Series ring.
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This has been a long road for one of the most talented pitchers over the last decade. 2016 was a very good year for Price, finishing 17-9, but the following year was a no-go due to injury. The end of 2017 did foreshadow a future of promise, though. Price’s ability to help out the Sox bullpen at the end of the 2017 season showed he still had plenty left in the tank. But it wasn’t to be for Price or the Red Sox, as they fell short at the hand of the Astros, who went on to claim the World Series title.
2018 was a completely different story. In a ferocious season from the Sox, Price played a vital role. Being second in command to the notorious Chris Sale took some of the pressure off Price. The 2018 Red Sox will be remembered for the way that they came together as a team. Between Sale and Rick Porcello, who pitched third in the rotation, Price was part of a talented and brilliant staff. Finishing the year 16-7, through thirty starts, Price had a stealer regular season. Contrary to this, what he did in the postseason will be the boost, along with a ring, that drives him on for the upcoming 2019 season.
Price’s first two starts showed that he was ready to bite back at his critics. Although his performances in Games Two of the ALDS and ALCS weren’t sensational, they showed that this postseason Price wasn’t going to be walked over. His dominance started in the clinching ALCS game and propelled from here on out. In a must-win game for the defending world champion Astros, Price shut them out through six complete innings, allowing just the three hits, on a staggering nine strikeouts.
A dominant postseason concluded with a dominant World Series. In the five-game drubbing of the Dodgers, Price started in a Game Two win, came in as relief in the Game Three loss and started the title-clinching Game Five. Pitching 13.2 innings overall in the series, Price allowed just three earned runs off of seven hits. His grasp of his pitches allowed him to record ten strikeouts in World Series play, and it was impressive the way that he held his command on baseball’s biggest stage.
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What happened for Price in 2018 was the perfect thing for him going forward. With four years left on his deal, Price already has his money guaranteed, but he will want to continue to show what he can do and get better. The pressure is off him, he can enjoy his baseball on the team he’s said he wants to be on, and do this as a champion. As he said himself, he now holds all the cards.