Atlanta Braves: Top 7 Potential Starting Pitcher Trade Targets
By Seth Carter
7. Paying the Price
The Boston Red Sox are reportedly shopping star player Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and big-name pitcher, David Price.
David Price has a career ERA of 3.31 with a record of 150-80. He has a career WAR of 39.7. He’s led the league in ERA twice, led the league in innings pitched twice, led the league in strikeouts once, made five All-Star games, finished in the top six of the Cy Young voting four times and the top two on three occasions, winning the award once.
He’s had a highly decorated career. David Price will turn 35 in August and last season was the first year he finished with an ERA above four since 2009.
Last season David Price posted a 4.28 ERA in 22 starts and 107.1 innings pitched. He struck out 128 batters and walked a respectable 2.7 hitters per nine innings. The strikeouts and control were still there in his injury-shortened season.
What’s the hang-up? David Price is owed $96 million over the next three seasons. That’s an average of $32 million per year.
The Red Sox are reportedly willing to eat up to $12 million per year.
The Braves just paid Cole Hamels $18 million for one year, the problem with Price is he’d be about $20 million per year over the next three seasons. That means we’d still be paying him $20 million on his 37th birthday.
On the flip side, Cole Hamels is 36 right now.
If the Braves believe David Price is healthy and they believe he can still be an effective and above-average pitcher for the next two-three years, he may not be so bad of a deal if the Red Sox are willing to pick up a huge portion of the tab.