Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos addressed the media on Monday following the team's season-ending loss against the Kansas City Royals on Friday. The GM weighed in on one of the biggest offseason rumors - will the Blue Jays pursue David Price in free agency?
The left-hander is expected to command a contract in excess of $200 million, but it doesn't appear that will deter Toronto from being one of his top suitors.
AA- "We have strong interest in David Price coming back here. We will be in the game"
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 26, 2015
Anthopoulos' comments on Monday refute a report from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports over the weekend that suggested the Blue Jays aren't expected to retain Price, especially after the way he was handled in the postseason. He was used in relief in Game 4 of the ALDS and was available as a reliever in Game 5 of the ALCS, which puzzled many.
"There is no expectation David Price will be brought back after this odd postseason for him in which he's playing second fiddle to recovered rookie Marcus Stroman," Heyman wrote. "Even though Toronto is a nice city for Price, there are too many reasons he'll wind up elsewhere. One more is that the Blue Jays aren't expected to go near the expected asking price of $200-million plus."
However, Price told Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca that he would "absolutely" consider re-signing with Toronto even though he said he hasn't thought about free agency at all this year.
Additionally, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, after talking to eight MLB personnel, determined Toronto would be a good fit for the left-hander.
"Age, experience, postseason experience (though most of it not good), and being left-handed are reasons to throw a lot of money his way. The feeling is seven years, $210 million is fair. Some think Price won't live up to it unless he goes somewhere he's totally comfortable. Toronto seems to fit that description."
As for the financials, many believe the Blue Jays won't go to great lengths to pay Price that type of money, but after a successful postseason (five home playoff games) and a little bit of money coming off the payroll in 2016 (along with some team-friendly options), they certainly have the resources to be in the running for his services.
"Price has clearly enjoyed his time in Toronto, calling it the best atmosphere he has ever played in and continually saying he wants to win not only for Toronto but for all of Canada," writes ESPN Insider Jim Bowden. "The Blue Jays' attendance should jump dramatically next year, and the franchise has a lot going for it, including expected future improvements to their home ballpark (Rogers Centre), a new partnership with Netflix and technological advancements from their ownership group, Rogers Communications. Therefore, this franchise should have the financial means to commit to Price -- and maintain an overall healthy payroll -- in order to remain competitive in the American League East."
Price is familiar with the AL East, which could be a significant factor in his decision making process. He pitched in the division from 2008-2014 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays and has solid numbers against other MLB clubs in the AL East:
8-4 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 19 starts against the Baltimore Orioles
11-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 23 starts against the Boston Red Sox
13-7 with a 4.04 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 31 games (30 starts) against the New York Yankees
He's expected to garner interest throughout the MLB, but don't rule out Toronto as one of the top suitors even though they may not have the spending power that the Los Angeles Dodgers or Chicago Cubs do.
