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Evaluating 3 best David Price trade options for Los Angeles Dodgers

David Price

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher David Price is looking for an opportunity to start and it seems the club wants to make it happen. With Peter Gammons of The Athletic reporting the Dodgers’ willingness to move Price, he’s now one of the leading MLB trade candidates this summer.

While Price is nearing the 18th green, he can still be a respectable rotation staple. He finds ways to paint the strike zone and induce weak contact with his cutter and sinker. Price has a wealth of postseason experience and is accustomed to coming out of the bullpen. Best of all, the Boston Red Sox are already covering part of his salary in the final year of his contract.

Keeping that in mind, here are three ideal landing spots for a David Price trade.

Related: MLB trade rumors – Latest MLB rumors

David Price returns to Tampa Bay Rays

MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at Tampa Bay Rays
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How about Price going back to the team that drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft, the Rays, to help them win their first-ever World Series?

Related: MLB mock draft 2022

Sentimental aspects to the side, Price could be a valuable piece to manager Kevin Cash’s pitching staff. At the moment and for the better part of the last two years, the Rays have been ravaged by injuries on the pitching front (Shane Baz, J.T. Chargois, Luis Patino and others are on the injured list). To boot, a handful of their long relievers and starters are off to slow starts. Price gives Tampa Bay another able arm.

  • David Price stats (2021-’22): 3.91 ERA, 1.4 WHIP, 2.33 K/BB over 78.1 innings pitched

The southpaw could either serve as a four-to-five-inning starter or another long reliever for the Rays. One way or another, he’d serve as a veteran complement to their pitching staff. The Rays should at least be open to such a move given how their young starting pitching was rocked against the Boston Red Sox in the 2021 American League Divisional Series.

All that said, the Rays may refrain from acquiring Price, operating under the mindset that their pitchers will continue to progress.

Philadelphia Phillies add pitching depth via trade

MLB: Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

At full force, Philadelphia’s starting rotation is set: Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Kyle Gibson, Ranger Suarez and Zach Eflin. The problem? This group has left much to be desired. Price gives manager Joe Girardi another viable rotation option.

The veteran could work his way into the rotation fairly quickly, as the Phillies don’t have five starting pitchers who are definitely better than Price. At the very least, he eats innings and becomes a long reliever for them when Eflin returns. In such a role, Price would beef up and add a new dimension to a bullpen corps that has continually lacked of late.

This is a win-now club that has no excuse to miss the playoffs. Price is a worthwhile gamble for the Phillies. He gives them a battle-tested arm. Worst-case scenario, Price struggles mightily as both a starter and reliever and they cut ties with him.

The factor that could stop the Phillies from acquiring Price, though, is a belief that there’s more upside in younger arms like Bailey Falter and Cristopher Sanchez taking the hill every fifth day.

Colorado Rockies add much-needed pitching

MLB: Spring Training- Los Angeles Dodgers-Workouts
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The Rockies aren’t rebuilding, but they’re also not doing enough to signify that they’re pushing to win the National League pennant. At the same time, this club has more reason to operate like the latter than the former. Price is a plug-and-play arm for manager Bud Black’s pitching staff.

Colorado has a handful of deep-rooted starting pitchers who have their moments (Kyle Freeland, German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela), but this unit lacks consistency and depth. Free agent signee Chad Kuhl has been their best starter thus far, as he owns a 2.88 ERA across his first six starts, but acquiring another starter is of the essence for a Colorado playoff push.

Price’s arrival presumably moves Austin Gomber to the bullpen, where he has previously found success. Yes, pitching in Coors Field, which is a mile above sea level, is essential baptism by fire for someone who hasn’t been a permanent starter since 2019. On the other hand, Price has some experience (20.1 innings) at Coors Field and his 5.31 ERA in Colorado is respectable for a road starter who isn’t in the unique pitching environment daily.

Price gets to showcase himself as a capable starter while he and the Rockies attempt to sneak into the NL Playoffs.

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