Already a Cy Young winner, five-time All-Star and World Series champion, what more can Dodgers ace David Price possibly add to his big-league resume? Soon, he could be the highest-paid reliever in MLB.
A starter for much of his career, Price has sporadically worked out of the pen, making a combined 19 regular and postseason relief appearances since debuting in 2008. The left-hander has thrived in that capacity, contributing a stingy 1.82 ERA over 29 2/3 innings when used as a reliever. Price, who missed last year’s World Series run due to COVID concerns, recently met with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, offering to pitch out of the pen if necessary.
On the surface, reducing Price, one of the most dominant starting pitchers of the last decade, to a hybrid/relief role would seem to be a strange, bordering on irresponsible allocation of resources. However, with Clayton Kershaw, Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias entrenched as starters, it’s hard to see Price fitting within that pecking order, particularly with up-and-comers Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May both poised for more prominent roles this season. Simply put, the Dodgers’ rotation is an embarrassment of riches, as it should be given their obscene $238-million payroll.
Some might interpret Price’s offer to pitch out of the pen a tacit acknowledgement that the 35-year-old’s best days are behind him. That may be so, though working fewer innings—and subsequently putting less stress on his aging body—might actually benefit Price in the long run. Hall-of-Famers John Smoltz and Dennis Eckersley (who Price once feuded with) both made successful transitions to the bullpen later in their careers and perhaps Price can do the same. With longtime closer Kenley Jansen seemingly on the decline, Price could even be a candidate to man the ninth inning for Los Angeles.
It’s admirable of Price to “take one for the team” by moving to the pen (assuming the Dodgers take him up on his offer), though it’s admittedly much easier to be magnanimous when you’re due a $32-million salary either way.
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