David Price Plays Stopper, Gets Major Confidence Boost Against Royals
BOSTON (CBS) -- After a shaky start to the season, it appears David Price has everything figured out.
He has command of his pitching arsenal once again, and perhaps more importantly, his confidence is the best it's been in a Red Sox uniform.
Boston's $217 million man tossed 7.2 innings of one-run ball Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals, helping the Red Sox avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the defending World Series champs. While the Sox ace wasn't as sharp as his last outing, when he struck out 12 Astros a week ago, he mixed in all four of his pitches to keep the Royals off balance, holding their pesky lineup to just five hits while striking out five.
"I felt like that's the best I've commanded all my pitches from the beginning until I was taken out," Price told reporters after picking up his second straight win to improve to 6-1 on the season. "That's definitely a step in the right direction."
Price has surrendered just three runs over his last 14 innings while striking out 17, lowering his ERA from 6.75 to 5.53. A second straight solid start seems to be the confidence booster he's needed since his arrival in Boston.
"I hadn't done it yet. Not like that," he said. "It's something I needed to happen."
"He's getting there," manager John Farrell said of his ace. "He's in command of the game. The biggest thing is when he's showing the consistent shape to his curveball. To me, that's when his delivery's in order, he's staying back over the rubber. Tonight, four pitches for strikes. A solid outing by David. Good to see him again tonight to back up his last outing back in Boston."
"I feel normal, I feel good," said Price. "I have confidence in all my pitches and in every situation, and I feel good."
Having a confident Price is imperative for the Boston rotation, which remains the biggest question mark for the 25-win team. He's stepped up the last two times he's taken the mound, and on Wednesday night played the important role of stopper for the Sox. That's a role that often goes along with the term "ace," and it's exactly what the Boston brass was hoping for when they gave Price a truckload of cash in December.
Those early-season concerns around the lefty have subsided for now. As long as Price remains confident in himself, the Red Sox should be able to count on him to keep pitching like an ace, and keep his team from suffering any lengthy losing streaks.
