David Price’s last Fenway appearance was a rare playoff bright spot
David Price will be the first pitcher Red Sox fans see at Fenway Park in 2018. The importance of such a moment will be lost on neither Price, nor the Fenway faithful.
Since signing with the Red Sox on a seven-year contract worth $215 million in 2015, the 32-year-old has not had the smoothest of tenures. After experiencing a difficult 2017 that had some particularly low moments, Price is looking to bounce back. One slightly forgotten point is that Price’s last appearance in front of home fans was a genuinely quality playoff performance.
Though his career postseason earned run average is an underwhelming 5.03, Price shut down the eventual World Series champion Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division Series last October. Coming out of the bullpen, he pitched four scoreless innings, looking dominant in the process.
🔥 Mesmerizing 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0gcuJqlB2V
— Red Sox (@RedSox) October 9, 2017
The performance helped to protect a narrow 4-3 lead until the Red Sox scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure an eventual 10-3 win, the only Boston victory of the series. It was Price’s second straight day of scoreless relief work in the 2017 postseason.
“To get into the playoffs and throw back-to-back days, to throw the amount of pitches I did in the time I did, it took all the injury concern out of my mind,” Price said looking back on the game.
And it spoke to a trend from 2017, where Price’s home ERA (2.32) was significantly better than his road equivalent (4.12).
The possibility of a resurgent year from Price got off to a good start in his 2018 debut. Pitching seven shutout innings in a 1-0 win against the same Rays he will face in the home opener, Price looked every bit the dominant starting pitcher Boston signed in 2015.
