Report: Red Sox Have Talked With At Least Five Teams About A David Price Trade
BOSTON (CBS) -- As baseball's Winter Meetings get set to conclude, the David Price trade talk is heating up. The Red Sox have reportedly talked with five teams about a potential Price trade, a move that has gained a significant amount of traction over the last few days.
According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Red Sox have talked with the Padres, Cardinals, White Sox and Reds, with the Los Angeles Angels also reaching out regarding the lefty. Price has three years and $96 million remaining on his contract with Boston, so moving him would go a long way in the club's quest to trim payroll for the 2020 season.
Price's contract was once seen as a roadblock in any deal for the lefty starter. But after Stephen Stasburg (seven-year, $245 million deal with the Nationals) and Gerrit Cole (nine-year, $324 million deal with the Yankees) agreed to monster contracts in free agency this week, Price's remaining deal is a lot more enticing to teams in need of some help in their rotation.
"This market is only helping the Red Sox," a Major League executive told Feinsand. "All of a sudden, Price's deal doesn't look so crazy."
There has been some speculation that the Red Sox would have to include a player in any Price trade -- mainly Andrew Benintendi -- but a source told Feinsand that will not be happening.
In four regular seasons with the Red Sox, Price has gone 46-24 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.204 WHIP, along with 609 strikeouts over 588 innings pitched. He exorcised his postseason demons in 2018 to help the Red Sox win the World Series, but had a disappointing 2019 campaign, pitching just 107.1 innings and posting a 7-5 record and a career-worst 4.28 ERA.
