David Price injury update: Red Sox lefty on IL with elbow problem

Marc Lancaster

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David Price injury update: Red Sox lefty on IL with elbow problem image

The one bright spot in an ugly start to the season for the Red Sox rotation is headed to the injured list. 

David Price landed on the 10-day IL Monday with left elbow tendinitis. The move is retroactive to May 3, the day after his most recent start. 

Price told reporters Monday afternoon he doesn't believe the issue is anything serious, though he declined to reveal how long his elbow has been bothering him. 

"It doesn’t feel right right now so we’re going to get it knocked out," he said, via the Boston Globe. 

There had been no signs of any physical issues with the left-hander, who has taken the ball six times this season and is averaging six innings and 93 pitches per start. Though he has only one win to show for it, Price has surrendered four runs or fewer in each of his starts, which qualifies him as the ace of this year's staff considering how bad the rest of the Boston's starters have been so far. 

The ERAs of the other members of the season-opening rotation entering Monday's games: Rick Porcello (5.11), Chris Sale (5.25), Eduardo Rodriguez (5.40) and Nathan Eovaldi (6.00). Eovaldi was placed on the IL late last month after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. 

The Red Sox (17-18) called up Ryan Weber, who has a 5.04 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Pawtucket, to take Price's roster spot.

Manager Alex Cora said Sunday he will start Josh Smith against the Orioles on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series. Entering Sunday's game, the Red Sox had officially listed their starting pitchers for the entire Orioles series as "TBD," though Tuesday would have been Price's regular turn. 

Price, 33, is in the fourth season of a seven-year, $217 million deal with the Red Sox and will make $31 million this year. 

 

Marc Lancaster

Marc Lancaster Photo

Marc Lancaster joined The Sporting News in 2022 after working closely with TSN for five years as an editor for the company now known as Stats Perform. He previously worked as an editor at The Washington Times, AOL’s FanHouse.com and the old CNNSportsIllustrated.com, and as a beat writer covering the Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, and University of Georgia football and women’s basketball. A Georgia graduate, he has been a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2013.