Price set to make debut on Monday

BOSTON » Red Sox pitcher David Price is set to make his season debut for Boston on Monday at the Chicago White Sox.

The 31-year-old lefthander, starting the second season of a $217 million, seven-year contact, has been recovering from a strained pitching elbow.

“Excited, just to be back here,” he said Thursday. “There’s not a better feeling. You can’t replicate it anywhere else.

Price allowed nine runs six earned and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings during a pair of injury rehabilitation starts at Triple-A Pawtucket. He struck out eight and walked two.

“A lot of pitches, in a short amount of time. I think that is more of a test to being healthy as opposed to going out there and throwing five or six (innings) in 90 pitches,” he said. “To do what I did in both of my rehab outings, I don’t think you can do that if you’re not healthy.”