One can’t help but think the three-team deal that will send Price to Detroit is a reaction to what Oakland did with getting Lester and their earlier trade for Jeff Samardzija.
Two years in a row, the Tigers have knocked off the Athletics in the Division Series, doing so with pitching. Now both teams are stocking up for a potential showdown in the playoffs that likely will be decided on who pitches better.
The Tigers have the last three Cy Young winners in Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Price. Even with Verlander having a down year, adding Price enhances an already good rotation.
The reaction coming from Tigers’ color commentator Rod Allen summed it up nicely. As the telecast returned from a game break: “Allen’s reaction was something akin to “Wow, we got David Price.”
Wow is a good word to describe the fact that Price will be heading to Detroit, ending a process that has seemed inevitable since the offseason and one that the left-handed ace had faced questions about at many stops along the way this year.
This is what Tampa Bay does, it trades pitchers with at least one year to go before free agency. They did the same thing with James Shields by flipping him to Kansas City for Wil Myers but this time it’s part of a three-team trade that results in Austin Jackson going to Seattle, Drew Smyly and Nick Franklin to Tampa Bay.
From the Tampa Bay perspective it’s interesting timing to deal Price now. It was accepted that they likely would trade him in the offseason and avoid having him as an expiring contract.
The Rays have gone 22-7 since the end of June and are right back in contention but of course that’s not of concern to Dombrowski and the Tigers. What they know is they just obtained another ace for at least the next year and a half, which helps should Scherzer not re-sign this winter.
This season Price is 11-8 with a 3.11 ERA, a 1.05 WHP. His strikeout and walk numbers are impressive with 23 walks and 189 strikeouts in 170.2 innings.
Numbers aside, the Tigers has responded in kind to Beane. How that pays off will be determined in due time but this is a good day for the Tigers and their already powerful rotation.
