Chicago Cubs Rumors: What could have been with David Price

The cost keeps going up

Price did finish 2016 with a 17-9 record and a 3.99 ERA. He led the AL in starts, innings pitched and hits allowed. He also allowed the most home runs in his career with 30. Similar to the deal that Heyward signed with the Cubs, Price can opt out of his deal after the 2018 season. He’ll make $30 million in each of his first three years in Boston; then it goes up slightly to $31 million in 2019.

This is where the once “team friendly” contract could get less friendly. Price has hit the DL again with recurring forearm trouble. He missed the beginning of this season with the same issue, not making his first start until May 29. The hope is that he won’t need to miss much time, but only the doctors that have seen the MRI can know that.

If the inflammation in his forearm turns out to be something worse like a torn ulnar-collateral ligament (speculation, folks. Nothing more), he would miss the rest of this season and very likely all of next year. From there, would he decide to opt out after not playing for a year and a half? Not likely. Meaning the Red Sox would be on the hook for the rest of the $127 million. That hurts.