Price to sign with Red Sox

The Red Sox have agreed to terms with free-agent left-hander David Price on a seven-year contract worth $217 million, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman confirms.

Boston still needs some pieces for their offense, but given the question marks surrounding the rest of the division, the Red Sox should be considered the favorites as of now.

The Yankees attempted to get Kimbrel at the July 31 trade deadline, but weren’t in on Price. “He made all the difference in the world”.

David Price teed off Tuesday morning at a charity golf tournament in Las Vegas believing he would be spending the next seven years pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals.

By going all-in on Price, they signal they are going all-out not just to improve, but to contend. The Hot Stove League is underway with no shortage of story lines and debate topics for fans who care about their team, 12 months a year. The Yankees will figure out their roster with all their up-and-coming young players, but the solution won’t come to them by responding wildly to a deal that doesn’t singlehandedly change the dynamic of the league.

The Red Sox outfield play could also end up being shaky in the 2016 season if they don’t make some changes.

Price, a five-time All-Star, certainly fills a gaping hole atop Boston’s rotation.

Price and Zack Greinke hovered above the market as the two elite starting pitchers available. The Diamondbacks, also in the market for a starter after free agent Johnny Cueto rejected their six-year, $120 million offer, were expected to talk with Samardzija as well.

Price is often reckoned as one of the most feared pitchers on the baseball field with a career record of 104-56 with 3.09 ERA.

Henry had always been opposed to give pitchers over 30 years old long-term deals, which is completely understandable considering how majority of big contracts to pitchers seem to have backfired.

Nevertheless, the Yankees lopped $74 million from the payroll following the 2013 season. The Red Sox determined that a chance to acquire such a premier pitcher, one who figures to get serious Hall of Fame consideration someday, made it worth the investment. As I said two years ago, if it’s to rebuild, why did they sign Jacoby Ellsbury and Mashiro Tanaka? What’s more, Price has posted a stellar 4.92 K/BB ratio in the postseason, which suggests that ERA has some bad batted-ball luck behind it. Price’s playoff struggles are nearly certainly a function of sample size, and those who have the most skin in the game clearly agree. He went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA in 2015, striking out 225.

One thing that immediately stood out to me about this signing is that Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox are flat out insane.