Red Sox Announce David Price Will Make Season Debut Monday Vs. White Sox
BOSTON (CBS) -- Despite a pair of shaky rehab outings in Triple-A, the Red Sox believe David Price is ready to make his 2017 debut.
Price will make his season debut on Monday afternoon when the Red Sox open a three-game series against the White Sox in Chicago, Boston manager John Farrell announced on Thursday.
"He's gone through a number of physical tests along the way, and the build-up of his pitch count is where you center your decision on," Farrell told reporters at Fenway Park. "Granted, we know what has taken place in the two rehab starts, but our goal setting out was to get him to 90 pitches. He did that last night and we're putting him back in the starting rotation on Monday."
The lefty has been on the shelf since February when he experienced elbow soreness during Spring Training. He's slowly worked his way back and made two rehab starts for the Pawtucket Red Sox over the last week, allowing nine runs (six earned) off 12 hits over 5.2 innings of work. Price threw 89 pitches for Pawtucket on Wednesday night, surrendering six runs (three earned) on seven hits over 3.2 innings against Louisville.
After signing a seven-year, $217-million contract with Boston in the 2015 offseason, Price made 35 starts and went 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA during the regular season. He allowed five runs in just 3.1 innings in his lone postseason start against the Cleveland Indians, who swept the Red Sox in the ALDS.
"Adding David Price to your rotation is always going to be a positive, and that starts Monday," Farrell said.
