When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts and David Price from the Boston Red Sox last February, they added a former MVP and Cy Young Award winner in one fell swoop.
Betts went on to exceed lofty expectations in his first season with the Dodgers, finishing second in National League MVP voting and helping the organization end its World Series drought. Price, meanwhile, did not pitch after opting out due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.
The left-hander was projected to slot behind Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler in the starting rotation. Instead, his absence created more opportunities for the likes of Ross Stripling, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urias.
While Price has indicated he will return to the mound this season, the Dodgers reportedly wouldn’t be against moving his contract to another team to ensure they stay under the luxury tax threshold, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
The Dodgers, smack up against the luxury-tax threshold, surely would be open to moving Price, and Law ranks their system the third-best in the majors.
The notion that the Dodgers would be wiling to trade Price was posited under solutions for the Red Sox and their payroll flexibility. They have since gone on to sign Kiké Hernandez and trade for Adam Ottavino.
As it currently stands, the Dodgers are projected to have the highest payroll in baseball next season at just over $189 million. With a hole still to fill at third base, that figure will only increase before Spring Training, giving them little wiggle room to remain under the luxury tax.
One solution could be moving Price, who is due to earn $64 million over the next two seasons — exactly half of which will be paid by the Red Sox. The 35-year-old is somewhat expendable given the Dodgers’ depth at starting pitcher, but moving his contract figures to be a challenge, as most teams are looking to clear salary during these difficult times.
Price shares video of workout
Price further hinted that he plans to pitch this season, sharing a video of a recent workout to his Twitter followers.
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