The Red Sox want David Price real bad

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The Red Sox have somewhat famously needed a top-line starting pitcher to replace the void left by Jon Lester after he was traded midway through the 2014 season for over a year. They opted to go in a different direction last season, instead bringing in mid-rotation arms like Rick Porcello and Wade Miley for the 2015 season. Although the rotation wasn’t quite as bad as advertised last year, there’s no denying there was something missing. As such, Dave Dombrowski is expected to go in a different direction in his first offseason with the Red Sox.

We’ve known for quite some time that Boston would be involved with the top of the pitching market this offseason, but it was unclear whether that would be via free agency or trade. After giving up a haul for Craig Kimbrel, however, it’s become more and more clear they will be taking the first route. This is the best year to take that road, with a stacked starting pitching market unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. Even with all of that talent, though, it certainly appears that Dombrowski and the Red Sox only have eyes for David Price. All reports say they are willing to do just about whatever it takes to land the former Ray, Tiger and Blue Jay.

On the one hand, the match seems a little silly on the surface. For one thing, he and David Ortiz (and thus, the organization as a whole) have had some differences in the past. More importantly, he’s an expensive pitcher who will soon turn 30, and Boston’s ownership has historically avoided those situations. With that being said, Price being the guy to buck that trend makes plenty of sense. He won’t cost a draft pick on top of this monstrous contract. More importantly, he’s really good at pitching baseballs. There will be more rumors about the top pitcher on the market in the coming weeks, but right now, it looks like no one will be willing to top the Red Sox for Price’s services.

• One team that appears to be out of the running for Price is his former club, as Toronto just signed J.A. Happ to a multi-year deal.


• Yasiel Puig continues his downhill spiral, this time allegedly finding himself involved with a brawl at a Miami nightclub.


• On a more positive note, Sean Doolittle did an incredibly nice thing on Thanksgiving.


• After dealing for Jed Lowrie, it appears the A’s will need to trade away another infielder. Right now, opposing GMs believe Brett Lawrie is the most likely to go.


• The Cubs need a starting pitcher. The Indians have starting pitchers to trade. So, they are a good match for Danny Salazar, right?


• After a half-season of disappointment, it looked like Justin Verlander’s years of being a good pitcher were over. Then, his second-half bounceback happened.


• Jeff Francoeur was surprisingly solid last year, and now the Phillies are debating whether to bring him back.


• Marcell Ozuna is arguably Miami’s best trade chip, so they can’t mess up the upcoming deal. Of course, the best way to do that is to anonymously trash him every chance they get.


• Coming off a surprising season where they contended all season, will Minnesota go after Joakim Soria to improve their bullpen?


• Arguably, no All-Star was more ridiculed than DJ LeMahieu, but he was actually really, really good in 2015.