David Price Traded to the Blue Jays, as Toronto is All-In on a Playoff Push
By Mike Cardillo
David Price appears to be on the move for the second consecutive trade deadline. According to multiple baseball sources — all via Twitter — the Tigers are about to move their All Star lefty to the Blue Jays for a package of prospects, including Daniel Norris — Toronto’s top pitching prospect who made some headlines in the spring for living out of a van.
That tidbit is neither here nor there, but the Jays are certainly going all-in to end their MLB-high playoff drought that began in 1993. Earlier in the week they shocked baseball landing Troy Tulowitzki, adding to their league-best offense. The Jays are going for it.
Dealing for Price is more of a necessity since the team’s pitching staff is mostly unremarkable. As of Thursday afternoon Toronto (51-51) is two games off the Wild Card. Having Price to pitch in a Wild Card playoff or Game 1 of a series is much more appealing than veterans Mark Buehrle, Marco Estrada or R.A. Dickey.
Toronto appears to have fended off a big push from the Dodgers and perhaps the Yankees for Price’s services for the next two, perhaps three, months. Price joins, Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir and Cole Hamels as starting pitchers being moved this month.
The Tigers, who are only 3.5 games out of the Wild Card, finally decided it was time to “reboot” the franchise. Landing the Jays No. 1 prospect in Norris for a pending free agent seems like a smart, forward-thinking move — so long as Norris lives up to expectations.
Price, the 2012 AL Cy Young winner, is a free agent at the end of the season. It stands to reason he’d seek a deal comparable to the six-year, $155 deal Jon Lester signed with the Cubs last winter.
We’ll wait and see if the Tigers deal Yoenis Cespedes next.
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[Photo via USA Today Sports Images]