Red Sox starter David Price’s three reasons why he didn’t opt-out
By Sean Penney
Free Agents
Price knows full well that this ownership group is willing to shell out lucrative deals to lure in free agents considering he was once the recipient of one of the largest contracts ever given to a pitcher.
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The Red Sox won consecutive division titles in Price’s first two seasons in Boston but couldn’t quite get over the hump in the postseason. A punch-less offense without a true home run threat in the wake of Ortiz’ retirement was blamed for their 2017 downfall. So what did the front office do? They went out and signed the best slugger on the market. J.D. Martinez proved to be a spectacular addition, helping this offense reclaim its spot as one of the most feared in baseball.
Price’s statement about the Red Sox being able to get any free agent they want isn’t entirely true. Their insistence that closer Craig Kimbrel is out of their price range shows the steep luxury tax penalties have imposed limits on what they are able to spend.
Still, even assuming Kimbrel signs elsewhere, the Red Sox will once again have MLB’s highest payroll. They have proven their willingness to spend money for a winning team, giving Price comfort in his decision to stick around.