David Price Showing 'Encouraging' Signs In Recovery From Elbow Injury
BOSTON (CBS) -- It remains unclear how David Price will hold up over the course of the 2017 season, but the Red Sox lefty is showing some promising signs in his recovery.
Price threw a three-inning, 50-pitch simulated game last Thursday at Fenway Park. He consistently threw his fastball in the low-to-mid-90s, touching 95 on the final pitch of his session.
Manager John Farrell said over the weekend that Price's final simulated game would ideally take place on Tuesday and that he could start a minor league rehab assignment soon. Red Sox president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski, meanwhile, remarked that Price is progressing nicely when he spoke on Sunday about the southpaw's recent simulated starts.
"He's coming back on a nice step-by-step [recovery] for us," said Dombrowski on Price. "He was sitting there consistently 93-95 [mph] the whole time period. He feels great.
"Always, the kicker is how you feel the next day, but [the signs are] encouraging at this point."
985 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand discussed Dombrowski's comments and Price's recovery on Monday. There is still no official timetable for Price's return as he recovers from a strained left elbow, but Marc Bertrand noted that the team's public comments about Price have improved since the lefty was shelved during spring training.
"Those are things they are talking about that they weren't talking about before," said Bertrand on the talk of simulated starts, pitch counts, and velocity. "It sounds like there are some plans that they are laying out that are coming out soon."
Bertrand added that he still feels Tommy John surgery is "inevitable" for Price, but that Dombrowski is "sending a message" to Price to ramp up his recovery and move quicker toward a return. The longer Price goes while putting off potential surgery, the more time he could miss next season if he ends up going under the knife.
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