Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: David Price Will Not Be Built Up As a Starter Over the All-Star Break

The Dodgers are going to need some starting pitching help at some point. Regardless of where they go to get that help, Los Angeles is too short on arms right now to justify not doing something. Clayton Kershaw hitting the injured list only further fuels that fire. 

When the Trevor Bauer news broke, the immediate thought from Dodgers fans was that David Price would be stretched out to be a starter again. After all, he spent his entire big league career as a starter and won a Cy Young doing just that. 

Dave Roberts hinted this week that stretching out Price now made more sense with Kershaw on the IL. But despite that, the Dodgers will not try to stretch him out more over the All-Star break. Doc talked about it before the game on Thursday. 

All guys do things to kind of keep their bodies going, especially pitchers. But I expect him to go home, be with his family in Nashville, and keep his arm moving. 

The Dodgers will not have Price throw any sort of simulated game in which he would try to extend his pitch count. Instead, they will expect him to take the week off and keep his arm moving as he normally would during a break.

Dodgers Related: Los Angeles’ Rotation Now Down to 3 Guys

At this point, it’s a complete mystery what the Dodgers plan on doing in regards to starting pitching. Josiah Gray will be up with the team at some point, but he still needs to build up to at least 5 innings per start. That could take at least a month. 

And while the hope is that Kershaw can remain healthy, that still leaves 1 gap in their starting rotation. They’ve got to make a decision soon before it’s too late to stretch out someone like David Price. 

Dodgers Fans Hoping For Max Scherzer Shouldn’t Hold Their Breath

26 Comments

  1. Could the declining to “stretch out” Price be a indicator they are talking with someone regarding a trade for a starter? Gray appears not ready and White seems to be best suited for Oklahoma City . There has been, as least as far as I have read any other starter in Triple A ready to be brought up

  2. Regardless of any trade, not stretching Price out now is foolish. He’s paid $15M this season and has been a starter his whole career. Furthermore, he sat last year and missed time this year. I don’t see how it’s possible to be any better rested or positioned to pitch for 4 months.

    1. Pitchers do NOT benefit from taking a year off. They need to throw every year as they build up to starter innings. Obviously the Dodgers don’t think Price is the answer, and need him out of the pen as 1 of the lefties. We are now 3 weeks from trade deadline – let the countdown begin – AF can do it if anyone can!!

    2. I agree. Let the guy pitch. Let him go 4, then 5, then 6 innings. All of the above are better than bullpen games where nobody goes more than 2 or 3 innings, and your bullpen is tapped out the next couple days.

      1. The guy can’t go beyond 2 x the batting order. He doesn’t have the stamina and ammo to get guys out the 2nd time around. He only have two solid pitches to go to and cannot make the changes as the hitter makes his adjustment to him. That is why he used in the pen to only get certain batters out. Another thing I suspect is because when he was out he had a wrist injury, compounded w/ a hamstring injury and other injuries throughout his career. He could be a piece in trades —-so they could be protecting him for value.

      2. I agree with your comment completely. I accept that David Price is a good team player; but how does he really feel about this arrangement? It would seem that the bullpen is a demotion from #2 or #3 starter planned when they got him. And when you’re used to starting, it can’t feel good for the guy down deep. AND it would seem like any further hesitancy to build up innings could possibly end his career as a starter.

  3. They can’t realistically expect Bauer back any time soon. Kershaw’s first arm “injury” is a concern. Meanwhile Doc seems bound and determined not to let Price start, which seems, well, idiotic unless there is something about him that we don’t know. We do know that the starter trade market is thin and that nearly every team in the league is looking for starters, so it’s going to be a sellers market. Berrios, Gibson, Duffy, Gray 1, Gray 2, Pineda, Means. Not exactly worth a potential star catcher or any one of the good young arms. Scherzer? Well, sure, but are the Nats really selling? I guess we’ll find out.

  4. We’re in need of a starter, we got one in the bullpen yet these bozos don’t want to use him. Instead they want to keep abusing the bullpen. This will be our downfall later

      1. do you think they are staying with this beyond July? wow, for some Dodger fans, they sure don’t believe in their team

        1. I do believe Dodgers acknowledge that starting pitching will have to be addressed after the break. But I’d be careful about having too many more BP games as well.

    1. Well Don, how is Price’s leg cramp issue? What? You haven’t heard if it? Exactly! You know nothing about his health, his readiness, his pitching repertoire, trade talks, Nothing! But you do always come up with something negative to say. In spite of being the best team of the decade all you ever have are negative comments that are based on nothing.

      1. Not the best team until they win one more championship this time in front of fans and have a real celebration

          1. Yes Paul. I consider last year a makeup for 2017 but not satisfying enough

    2. you are not abusing the bullpen if you are recycling relief pitchers constantly. Do you watch any of the games, or read the box scores or see who’s coming up or getting sent back on a daily basis? Give the Dodgers some credit, and for a fan it amazes me you call them bozos

      1. Yes I do watch Joe that’s how I know this pen is already being taxed, now see the condition they’re in 3 months from now

  5. Before the season started, all I heard was about the Dodgers great starting pitching depth, because they had guys like Price, May, Gonsolin, and Davy was always sure to add Nelson in the mix for the 5th starter. Now that they have lost Bauer and May, its like Price and Nelson don’t exist, even though they’ve looked pretty good out of the bullpen, and the team has relievers coming out of the woodwork.

    1. Exactly. Is Gonsolin ever going to be a real starter? At some point the babying has to stop. This is year 3 for him he should be going 5-6 innings instead of 2-4

  6. It’s time for David Price to produce as the veteran starter the Red Sox and Dodgers are paying for….Do yor Job!!!

  7. David Price is a good example of a excellent employee. He said what ever the management wants he will do it. So there you have it he’s ready if they are

  8. Why is so hard for Roberts to use Price as a starter. I really would just like to know. Can anyone help me

  9. Agree Don. They should have him pitch longer in games regardless of how his shoulder feels. I know he complained of soreness but who care. If he throws his shoulder out, so be it. He’s only 27 years old or so. He has plenty of time to recover It is more important that he goes deeper into games now. We are only 19 games over .500, not acceptable.

  10. Didn’t the LA club sign this guy to a massive contract two years ago to be a starter???
    Unbelievable waste of money and space on a roster.
    Have him start, for crying out loud.

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