LHP Ace David Price Prepares for Trade, Should the Chicago Cubs Pursue?

Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price expects to be traded this off-season after a stellar performance in the American League play-in game against the Texas Rangers.

This season he went 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA, 1.098 WHIP, 151 strikeouts, and 27 walks in 186 2/3 innings. Price and the Rays have not discussed his contract but he believes he will be traded.

"“If you go with what’s been done in the past I guess you’re going to have to think you’re going to get traded,” Price told the Tampa Tribune. “It’s crossed my mind several time…..in Texas as well and every other (elimination game) we’ve played.”“You’ve seen it happen a couple of times already I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know what’s happened in the past,” he said about leaving Tampa. “It’s not disappointing or anything like that. This is a place I love to be. My teammates and everyone in the organization knows that. It’s part of baseball and it’s something I’ve seen go on, it’s kind of something I somewhat prepared myself for.”"

Price, 28, has been with the Rays since 2008 and would be a solid left-hander for the Cubs. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner and three-time All-Star is 71-39 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.158 WHIP, 876 strikeouts, and 286 walks in 973 innings during his career.

The Vanderbilt graduate, signed a one-year contract to avoid arbitration last winter, paying him $10.1125 million with $4 million deferred to 2014. He is likely to see a boost in salary upwards near $13 million for the 2014 season and making near $17 million in 2014 if the $4 million deferred is added.

While the contract is high for the Cubs President Theo Epstein mindset, Price would bring postseason experience and a number one pitcher to the pitching staff.

He is 1-4 with a 5.06 ERA (18 ER), 30 strikeouts and seven walks in nine postseason appearances and four starts. In Game 2 during this season’s ALDS against the Boston Red Sox he gave up seven earned runs on nine hits, struck out five and walked two.

Since June he made 18 starts and went 9-4 with a 2.33 ERA in 131 2/3 innings while striking out 102 batters and walking 13.

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