Price done for season
Time for lefty to get right for 2020
The Red Sox have come to their senses with David Price.
Alex Cora confirmed yesterday that the left-hander is being shut down for the rest of the season as he continues to deal with a cyst in his throwing wrist that’s kept him out for the majority of the last six weeks.
Cora was hoping as early as last week that Price might be able to pitch again this season. But with the Sox out of playoff contention with less than two weeks left on the schedule, it wasn’t worth bringing back the 34-yearold who has three years and $96 million remaining on his contract.
“I think it’s a head-start to next year,” Cora said. “It’s the smart thing to do. Like I said earlier on the radio, if we were one game up or in the hunt he’d probably be pitching out of the bullpen like in ’17. But where we’re at and obviously how important he is, it’s better off moving forward and getting right.”
Cora said doctors will not only look at the cyst, but the wrist as well. Surgery is a possibility as they try to figure out how to get Price, who had carpal tunnel syndrome in the same wrist last season, right for 2020. Every option seems to be on the table.
“We know about the cyst,” Cora said. “We know about the carpal tunnel syndrome last year. So they’ll check. They’ll talk about it. How he feels. And whatever they have to do to get him right, they’ll do it I guess. …
“We have the opportunity now that we have the situation with the cyst that why not check everything out? If it’s something that the doctors feel that can avoid certain situations, why not? It’s just, we need this guy healthy, ready to go, and I think this is the best move for the player and obviously for the organization.”
Cora said Price was willing to pitch out of the bullpen just throwing fastballs for the rest of the season, but they don’t want him doing that. He’ll finish his fourth season with the Sox with a 7-5 record in just 22 starts, with a 4.28 ERA.
“He’s all in,” Cora said. “When you can’t perform the way you want to it’s obviously frustrating. And for a while there, not having his changeup and the cutter and trying to pitch at this level is hard to do. Like I’ve been saying all along, if it’s up to him he’ll be throwing fastballs out there and trying to compete. But we took it away because we feel that it’s not conducive to something positive to the player. But he’s all in. He knows this is the best way to start off the offseason and get him ready and he’ll be ready.”
Betts eyes weekend
Mookie Betts was out for a fourth consecutive game with inflammation in his left foot that he suffered last week in Toronto, but Cora said he could play this weekend vs. Tampa Bay as the designated hitter. The right fielder did leg work in the weight room yesterday and felt better, Cora said.
“Today was a good day for him,” the manager said.
J.D. Martinez was out of the lineup last night after leaving Tuesday’s loss with left groin tightness. Cora said he’d also stay out today and see how he reacts to treatment before determining if he’s available to play this weekend.
Travis concussion
Sam Travis is going through the concussion protocol after a scary play Tuesday in which he was hit in the head (after losing his helmet rounding the bases) with a relay throw while he was sliding into third base. Travis went through some tests — which included answering a question that he got wrong — but Cora was encouraged about his health for something else he said that made him laugh.
“He actually said, ‘Finally I barreled a ball after a month,’ ” Cora said.
Cora said Travis went through some light exercises yesterday and anticipates he’ll be cleared to play again this weekend. …
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