David Price (baseball)

Early life

David Taylor Price was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to Bonnie and Debbie Price. He has two brothers. He began playing baseball in his early childhood. He grew up as an Atlanta Braves fan and idolized outfielder David Justice. He attended Cooperstown Dreams Park when he was a teenager. As a teenager, he was a standout on the Blackman High School baseball and basketball teams. In his high school career, he compiled a 0.43 earned run average (ERA) and 151 strikeouts. He was the recipient of the Rutherford County MVP Pitcher (2003 and 2004), the Co-District 7AAA Pitcher of the Year with Michael Alcorn his senior season, and the Rutherford County Male Athlete of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He played in the 2004 High School All-America Game in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

College career

Though Price was drafted in the 19th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of high school, he did not sign, and instead chose to attend Vanderbilt University on an academic scholarship. He pitched for the baseball team for three seasons.

In his freshman season in 2005, Price was honored as a Freshman All-American by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. That year he went 2–4 with a 2.86 ERA in 19 games, compiling 92 strikeouts in 69 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. Still, frustrated with his college workload, Price almost quit baseball to work at a McDonald's in his hometown but was talked out of it by his coach, Tim Corbin.

In 2006, Price posted a 9–5 record with a 4.16 ERA in 110 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. He set a school single-season record in strikeouts with 155 while walking only 43 batters. Over a span of six starts early in the season, he recorded 10 or more strikeouts each game, including a 17-strikeout performance in a game against Arkansas. That year, he was one of five finalists for the Golden Spikes Award and a semifinalist for the Roger Clemens Award. He was also named to the third-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, first-team All-South Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association and second-team All-SEC by the coaches in that conference.

As a junior, he tallied an 11–1 record with a 2.63 ERA. He was the nation's top strikeout pitcher, striking out 194 batters over 133 ¹⁄₃ innings, breaking his own school record. His last start against SEC competition came against Mississippi State in the SEC Baseball Tournament. Price pitched a complete game, going nine innings while giving up five hits, two runs, and striking out 11 batters with no walks. His last start at the college level came against Austin Peay in Vanderbilt's first game in the 2007 Nashville Regional. Against Austin Peay, Price retired 17 batters via the strikeout in nine innings of work while yielding just five hits, one run, and two walks. Price won several major national awards, including college baseball's top honor, the 2007 Dick Howser Trophy, and the 2007 Brooks Wallace Award. David Price was the first player to have a clean sweep of all the college baseball awards.

United States National Team

In the summer of 2005, Price pitched for the United States National Team. He went 2–0 with a 1.26 ERA in five games, tallying 39 strikeouts and 13 walks over 28 ²⁄₃ innings. On August 2, 2005, he pitched a complete game shutout over Nicaragua, only allowing five hits. In the summer of 2006, Price helped the United States take home the gold medal in the World University Baseball Championship held in Cuba. In eight starts for the United States, Price was 5–1 with a 0.20 ERA.

Draft and minor league career

Price signed his first professional contract on August 15, 2007. The six-year contract was worth $11.25 million ($8.5 million guaranteed), including a $5.6 million signing bonus. After the contract was approved by the MLB, he was added to the Devil Rays 40-man roster before being optioned to the minor leagues to begin his career.

The total value of Price’s bonus was the largest in draft history. The signing bonus was second-largest in draft history, behind only the $6.1 million Justin Upton received from the Arizona Diamondbacks as the top overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft. The guaranteed value was the third-highest in draft history, trailing only Mark Prior ($10.5 million) and Mark Teixeira ($9.5 million) from the 2001 draft. Price made his spring training debut against the Yankees, hitting the first batter and striking out the next three in one inning of work. His fastball averaged 98 mph.

Price was first assigned to pitch for the Vero Beach Devil Rays of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League. He started six games for Vero Beach, compiling a record of 4–0. He had an ERA of 1.82 with 37 strikeouts in 34 ²⁄₃ innings pitched.

In his second start in Vero Beach, Price pitched against Pedro Martínez. After the game, Martínez said of Price:

He's amazing, that kid. He's amazing... that kid is very mature for his time in [the pros], and very talented. That kid did a hell of a job of throwing first-pitch strikes and pounding the strike zone and jamming hitters. I was watching that. He did it like a big leaguer. He had such a command. Right there, I'm challenging you. I'm going to do what I gotta do without any fear. That's the kind of talent you love to see.

After moving up through the Rays minor league system to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Class AA Southern League in July, Price was promoted to the Durham Bulls of the Class AAA International League on August 9, 2008. After compiling an 11–0 combined record at Single-A and Double-A, Price received his first professional loss in his first start at Triple-A Durham.

2008 season

Price made his major league debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on September 14, 2008, against the Yankees. The first MLB hit he allowed was a home run by New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter; Jeter would later record his 3,000th hit by again homering off Price in 2011. Price pitched 5 ¹⁄₃ innings of relief; he made his first major league start with the Rays on September 22, 2008, against the Baltimore Orioles. He was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the 2008 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, earning a post-season victory before winning a regular season game. Price recorded the final four outs in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS, earning his first career save (regular season or postseason; postseason statistics are recorded separately) and eliminating the defending champion Red Sox. Price then pitched 2 ¹⁄₃ innings in Game 2 of the 2008 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies; he gave up two earned runs but nevertheless earned his second postseason save. The next day, Price introduced Barack Obama at a campaign rally in Tampa.

2009 season

On May 30, 2009, Price collected his first major league regular season win in a 5–2 victory over the Minnesota Twins in which he struck out 11 in under 6 innings. He finished the season with a 10–7 record, a 4.42 ERA, 102 strikeouts, and 54 walks in 23 starts.

2010 season

In the 2010 season, Price was the first American League pitcher to reach 10 wins, on June 15. On that date, he was 10–2 and led the league with a 2.31 ERA. Price was selected as the American League starting pitcher for the 2010 All-Star Game.

He finished the 2010 season tied for second in the American League (with Jon Lester) in wins (19) and in third place in ERA (2.72). He was eighth in the league in strikeouts with 188.

He lost Games 1 and 5 of the 2010 American League Division Series against Cliff Lee and the Texas Rangers.

2011 season

During a game against the Yankees on July 9, 2011, Price allowed a home run to Derek Jeter, which was Jeter's 3,000th career hit. Price finished 2011 with a 12–13 record, 218 strikeouts, and a 3.49 ERA in 34 games started.

2012 season: Cy Young Award season

In 2012, Price went 20–5 on the season (tying for the league lead in wins) with a league-leading 2.54 ERA, two main reasons why he won the AL Cy Young Award. Price pitched a complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels on April 24, 2012, with the final score 5–0. Price pitched in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. Price got his 20th win against the Chicago White Sox on September 30, making him the first 20-win pitcher in Rays franchise history. In recording the win, he became the youngest American League pitcher (aged 27) to earn 20 wins in a season since 2004.

2013 season

In 2013, Price went 10-8 on the season with a 3.33 ERA, and had an American League leading and career-best four complete games. In the 2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker against the Texas Rangers, Price pitched a complete game to lead the Rays into the postseason.

2014 season

From June 4 to 25, Price had five consecutive starts with at least ten strikeouts, becoming only the eighth pitcher in major league history to do so.

On July 6, Price was named to his fourth All-Star team; he did not participate in this All-Star game due to pitching in a game two days prior, avoiding pitching on only one day of rest. He was replaced by Fernando Rodney.

Before a July 31 trade to the Detroit Tigers, Price had a record of 11–8, with a 3.11 ERA, 189 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 23 starts with the Rays.

2014 season with the Tigers

On July 31, Price was traded to the Detroit Tigers in a three-team deal that sent Drew Smyly, Nick Franklin and Willy Adames to the Tampa Bay Rays, and Austin Jackson to the Seattle Mariners. In his Tigers debut against the New York Yankees on August 5, Price pitched 8  ²⁄₃ innings, allowing three runs, striking out ten, and walking none.

On August 21, in his first game against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays, Price allowed one hit and an unearned run with one out in the first inning, then retired the final 23 batters he faced, but suffered a complete game loss. Price is the first pitcher in the major leagues to lose a complete game, one-hitter or better, with no earned runs since Andy Hawkins lost a no-hitter for the New York Yankees on July 1, 1990. It was the first time since 1914 that a pitcher has lost a complete game, one-hit, no walk start without allowing an earned run.

On August 27, in a game against the Yankees, Price allowed eight runs and twelve hits, including nine straight in the third inning of an 8–4 loss. He is the first pitcher since Bob Forsch in 1989 to allow nine straight hits. Only three previous times in major league history had a pitcher allowed 12 hits in two innings or fewer. The others being Shawn Estes in 2003, Johnny Podres in 1963 and George Uhle in 1929.

With the Tigers, Price went 4–4 over the final two months of the season, with a 3.59 ERA and 82 strikeouts in  77 ²⁄₃ innings. On September 28, the last day of the regular season, Price pitched  7 ¹⁄₃ shutout innings against the Minnesota Twins, giving up four hits, striking out eight, and earning the 3–0 win, to help the Tigers clinch their fourth consecutive AL Central Division title.

Price finished the 2014 regular season with a 15–12 record, 3.26 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He led all of major league baseball in innings pitched ( 248 ¹⁄₃), batters faced (1,009) and strikeouts (271).

2015 season

On January 16, 2015, Price and the Tigers avoided arbitration agreeing on a $19.75 million salary for the 2015 season, setting a record for the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player prior to free agency. Price was named the Tigers opening day starter for 2015 by manager Brad Ausmus, ending teammate Justin Verlander's streak of seven consecutive opening day starts. He responded by pitching  8 ²⁄₃ shutout innings in the Tigers 4–0 win over the Minnesota Twins.

On July 6, 2015, Price was named to the 2015 All-Star Game, his fifth such honor. Price pitched a scoreless fourth inning in the game, striking out two, and earning the win for the AL. He entered the All-Star Break with a 9–2 record, 2.38 ERA and 115 strikeouts.

2015 season with Blue Jays

On July 30, 2015, Price was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt. Price made his debut for the Blue Jays on August 3. He threw 119 pitches through 8 innings, recording 11 strikeouts & a winning decision, while yielding only 3 hits, 2 walks, and 1 earned run in a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre. His 11 strikeouts tied José Núñez's team record for most strikeouts in a Blue Jays' pitching debut. On September 5, Price earned his 100th career win, by beating the Baltimore Orioles 5–1. He was scratched from his final start of the season on October 1, as the Blue Jays had clinched the AL East the day prior. Price made 11 starts for the Blue Jays in 2015, and went 9–1 with a 2.30 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 74 ¹⁄₃ innings. Price started Game 1 of the ALDS for the Blue Jays, taking the loss and bringing his career postseason record to 1–6. He would earn his second career postseason win on October 12, pitching 3 innings in relief of R.A. Dickey's game 4 start.

Price finished the 2015 season with an 18–5 record and a 2.45 ERA. Price finished second in Cy Young Award balloting to Dallas Keuchel.

2016 season

On December 4, 2015, Price signed a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. Price recorded a win in his debut with the Red Sox on April 5, 2016. Price's first season was markedly different from the first to second half. In his first 18 starts, Price compiled an 8-6 record with a 4.64 ERA. He finished the season at 3.99 ERA with a 17-9 record. He led the AL with 230 innings pitched and 227 hits allowed. His 228 strikeouts also marked his second highest in his career, after his 2014 season split between Tampa and Detroit.

2017 season

Price started the season on the 10-day disabled list with an elbow injury suffered in spring training. Price was activated on Monday, May 29, 2017 and made his debut against the Chicago White Sox that afternoon.

On June 29, Price was involved in a verbal altercation with NESN broadcaster and former Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley on the team's plane; Eckersley had criticized a poor performance by teammate Eduardo Rodríguez, prompting Price to yell "Here he is — the greatest pitcher who ever lived! This game is easy for him!’’ at Eckersley, before doubling down with numerous repetitions of "Get the fuck out of here!" to the applause of several Red Sox players. Price was criticized for his berating of Eckersley, as well as his refusal to apologize.

On July 28, Price was again placed on the 10-day disabled list due to left elbow inflammation.

Scouting report

Price uses a wide variety of pitches and complements them with excellent velocity. He throws two fastballs in the 93–96 mph range (tops out at 98 mph): a four-seamer and a two-seamer. His two-seamer is his lead pitch against right-handed and left-handed hitters, although he uses it more often against lefties. Price also throws a cutter at 90-92 mph, used mainly against right-handed hitters (especially in 2-strike counts). He rounds out his repertoire with a changeup he uses mainly against right-handed hitters, but also features to left-handed hitters (83–86) and a spike curveball at 78–81.

Price tends to set the pace early in games, taking 5–7 seconds to pitch the ball after it is returned by the catcher.