With the Tampa Bay Ray's season over, the focus now moves towards several free agents and the small budget of the team. The Rays have one of the lowest payrolls in all of baseball and the budget-minded team is likely going to trade away key pieces in the offseason. Starting pitcher David Price is expecting he will be one of them.
Price was the 2012 AL Cy Young winner and a three-time All-Star. The ace is two years away from approaching free agency and is set to earn over $10 million this season. At this time, the Rays payroll is around $58 million, making Price a heavy player. The team already traded away James Shields and Wade Davis during the year. Price believes he will be the next to leave.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times spoke with Price who said, "If you go with what's been done in the past, I guess you're going to have to think you're going to get traded." The pitcher admitted he wondered if he was starting his final game with the Rays when Tampa ended their season to the Boston Red Sox. He allowed seven runs on nine hits, not exactly the best way to go out. Price's teammates certainly hope he will return.
''I've given it a lot of thought. So has he,'' Cobb said. ''It's a sad thought, it really is because this group has gotten so close and David is really our go-to leader, are go-to guy that we look for direction. I know it's been a thought in all of our minds this year, that it could be our last year together. It's been tough at times to think of that. ... You're going to be taking a huge chunk out of this rotation. Nobody can replace a Cy Young.''
Price certainly is hard to replace. The pitcher was 10-8 on the season with a 3.33 ERA, throwing 151 strikeouts. Manager Joe Maddon is not speculating anything when it comes to offseason moves. He understands the team is keeping salary in mind in the offseason, but does not want to think about a season without Price.
''It's never an inviting thought to think that David is not going to be with you, but we're faced with a lot of this stuff on an annual basis.'' Maddon said. ''We've gone through it. It's part of who we are here. We understand that.''
