Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced earlier this week that David Price, who sat out last year due to COVID concerns, will come out of the bullpen to begin 2021. Price, former Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson and Tony Gonsolin (fourth in 2020 Rookie of the Year voting) had each been competing for a rotation spot but will instead contribute as long relievers with Dustin May entrenched as L.A.’s. No. 5 starter.
It speaks to L.A.’s incredible collection of talent that Price, a past Cy Young winner and five-time MLB All-Star, couldn’t crack the Dodgers’ rotation, a star-studded cast consisting of May, Julio Urias, Walker Buehler, reigning Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer and former National League MVP Clayton Kershaw. Price appeared to telegraph his inevitable move to the pen weeks earlier when, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, the 35-year-old publicly volunteered to serve as a reliever in 2021. The veteran left-hander pitched reasonably well in limited action this spring, logging a 2.70 ERA across three Cactus League starts.
Drafted by the Rays with the first overall pick in 2007, Price has been a starter most of his career, though he has occasionally come out of the pen, including in 2017 when he made five relief appearances for Boston. Price will work in 2-4-inning increments to begin the year, though he could be called on to start if injuries arise in the Dodgers’ rotation.
Confining Price, one of the most decorated arms of the past decade, to the pen seems like a strange allocation of resources. But if anyone can afford a $32-million-a-year long reliever, it’s the reigning World Champs. Their obscene $239.6-million Opening Day payroll dwarfs the Yankees, who check in as MLB’s next-highest spender at a distant $197.9 million.
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