Nearly 90 days after Boston Red Sox ace David Price underwent an MRI after soreness in his elbow that would lead to months on the disabled list, the star southpaw was activated off the DL on Monday morning in advance of his season debut against the Chicago White Sox.
Price initially experienced extensive soreness in his left elbow and went for an MRI back on May 2. What followed was a long journey of trips to various experts in the medical field and MRIs to evaluate Price's options and try and find out what caused the soreness. Following a PRP injection and months of rest and step-by-step rehabilitation for the pitching elbow, Price is now cleared to return to the major league mound.
The 31-year-old's opening start against the Chicago White Sox certainly presents intrigue on its face. A star southpaw facing one of the worst teams in baseball , it seems destined for a great outcome. But from a fantasy perspective, it's the start you'd be safe to avoid and as a fan to temper your expectations for. The White Sox lineup boasts an MLB-best 132 wRC+ against lefties this season and the second-best OPS (.847) versus left-handed pitchers.
On its own that presents major reasoning why a stellar performance from Price or any lefty, should often be pushed further out of mind. Especially with the game in Chicago at Guaranteed Rate Field, one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors.
Now pair that with Price's numbers on his rehab starts in the minor leagues. Across 5 2/3 innings pitched, two starts, Price allowed 12 hits, six earned runs and faced 32 batters over that time. Not only was Price limited to just two rehab outings where even with a high pitch count (Price threw 89 pitches in 3 2/3 innings on May 24) didn't get him through the fourth inning in his appearances, but he got knocked around by Triple-A hitters.
Price's return is certainly monumental for the Red Sox who regain their secondary ace behind Chris Sale as the team heats up and prepares for a push over the remainder of the season. But this will likely be another short outing for Price and one that fantasy owners should stay away from.