David Price Trade Gives Tigers Last Three Cy Young Winners, in ALCS Arms Race with Oakland
By Jason Lisk
David Price is being traded to Detroit, according to Ken Rosenthal. The Real Ken Rosenthal. Not a fake one like what Jim Bowden uses for his sources, unattributed, for trades that didn’t happen.
According to Jon Heyman, it’s a three-way deal involving Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Seattle. Austin Jackson is going to Seattle (and was pulled mid-game today), and starting pitcher Drew Smyly to Tampa Bay. 2B Nick Franklin is going from Seattle to Tampa Bay as well.
This move gives Detroit the last three Cy Young winners, in Scherzer, Verlander, and Price. Detroit is loading up for the postseason with this move, as they already have a pretty comfortable lead in the AL Central. If Verlander can turn it around, they will have a pretty formidable rotation in the postseason. Who comes out of the bullpen? Porcello and his team-leading 3.24 ERA among the starters? Anibal Sanchez and his 3.57 ERA? or (gasp) Verlander?
Detroit has an embarrassment of riches when Verlander is the worst (statistically in 2014) starter in the rotation. They must have felt the move was necessary after Oakland went out and added Jon Lester in a “go for it” move as well.