Dodgers left-handed pitcher David Price announced that he will not play during the 2020 season via a post on his Instagram page, as first reported by Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. Price becomes the highest-profile player to drop from this year’s campaign, joining the likes of Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman, with others likely to come.
The Dodgers acquired Price, 34, in the successful February trade that also sent Mookie Betts to Los Angeles. He was ready to embark on his freshman year in Los Angeles after a season with the Red Sox that included a memorable postseason run that culminated in a World Series title. However, with Price choosing not to play this year, the trade certainly looks a bit bleaker from the Dodgers’ point of view. The team thought it would have at least a full year with Betts in the lineup and Price in the rotation, it seems increasingly likely that the pair will not play a game together in Los Angeles, with Betts set to reach free agency at the end of the season. season .
By choosing not to play this year, Price will lose his 2020 prorated salary, which would have been roughly $ 11.9MM for a 60-game season. He will remain under contract with the Dodgers for two more years, valued at a total of $ 64MM. It’s worth mentioning that, with the Red Sox agreeing to take on half of Price’s $ 32MM salary for this year, Boston will also save nearly $ 6MM this season.
From a baseball perspective, Price’s absence will certainly be detrimental to the Dodgers’ title aspirations in 2020. Without Price in the rotation, expect to see Ross Stripling or Dustin May in a regular starting role. The Dodgers have enviable depth in their starting pitching core, so they are exceptionally well positioned to resolve decisions like Price’s: Between Stripling, May and Tony Gonsolin, the Dodgers have a host of young beginners who can share the load in the field. rotation.
In the statement that Price published on social media, he says that he “decided that the best thing for my health and the health of my family is that I do not play this season.” To be sure, his concerns are shared by many players throughout baseball, and the Angels’ Mike Trout expressed a similar sentiment yesterday. We’ll see how many players choose to forfeit the season out of concern about the corona virus, but price almost certainly won’t be the last big name to do so.
The Dodgers, for their part, had the following to say regarding Price’s decision: The Dodgers fully support David’s decision to stay out of the 2020 season. We have been in constant contact with David and understand how much this deliberation weighed on him and his family. We know that he is supporting the club every day and we look forward to having him back with us in 2021. ” (GG) (MLB RUMORS.COM)