In 2004, Price's senior year at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, TN, he pitched well and shot to the top of the state's deep prep class. David had an 0.43 ERA with 151 strikeouts.

He also was a star basketball player in high school. And he played golf.

On October 19, 2007, David had his jersey retired by Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, during halftime of the school's football game. 

In the summer of 2005, Price pitched for the United States National Team. On August 2, 2005, he pitched a complete game shutout over Nicaragua, only allowing 5 hits.

In the summer of 2006, Price helped the United States take home the gold medal in the World University Baseball Championship held in Cuba. In eight starts for the United States, Price was 5–1 with a 0.20 ERA.

After high school, David accepted a scholarship to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He is an excellent student.

In 2004, he passed up going pro after Dodgers chose him in round #19, out of Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Price turned down a $1 million from the Dodgers in order to pursue a sociology degree at Vanderbilt. 

He comes from a middle-class African-American family and became a top college prospect at Vandy. But during his freshman year of college, things got tough, not just on the field, but in the classroom. And David wanted to quit baseball and go to work in a fast-food restaurant. But his parents quickly helped him become grounded again. 

David's favorites: The movie "Coming to America," TV shows "Family Guy" and "Fresh Prince," Will Smith, David Justice, and the Atlanta Braves.

Price is a real team player. He loves to see his teammates succeed. He is enthusiastic and hard working. When he is not pitching, David is hanging over the dugout railing, never missing a single pitch and cheering on his teammates. He is selfless. He is great in the clubhouse, jovial, and helpful. His makeup is outstanding. 

David's father, Bonnie, who worked in a warehouse, and Debbie, who worked for a healthcare provider, had both read a book by Derek Jeter and were astounded by the similarities between their families: a black father who studied sociology in college and a white mother who studied accounting.

They raised David and his two brothers in a modest, single-story brick house in Murfreesboro, Tenn., 35 miles southeast of Nashville. From the time he was two, David would grab a bat and ball and play for hours by himself, tossing the ball up and whacking it over and over in the fenced-in backyard. As he grew, he could whack it over the house. He would unlock the gate, run to the front yard to retrieve the ball, run back, close the gate and happily repeat the process again and again.

In September 2008, David was called up to the Majors for the first time. And the Rays were playing in New York, with the old Yankee Stadium about to close forever. His parents were elated, as was their son.

"This is a blessing for us," Bonnie Price said, sitting behind home plate in Yankee Stadium, seeing her son on his first day in a Rays' uniform. "How perfect is the Lord's timing? I know a lot of people don't like to hear that, but that's the only way we can look at it. I mean, we couldn't have scripted this. This is totally beyond us; it has to be in God's hands." 

David takes his role seriously and accepts the burden that goes along with being an ace.  "David is different [than most his age]," manager Joe Maddon said. "He accepts the burden that goes along with [being an ace]. He doesn't run away from that. He likes the idea of pitching in the big game. He likes the idea of everybody watching him. That doesn't mess with his head at all. As far as being a leader, he was that at Vanderbilt, and he's starting to be that here among us. So I've really enjoyed watching his evolution."

March 26, 2011: Price, who was renting a home with teammates Evan Longoria and Reid Brignac, was a victim of a home invasion robbery. David and his teammates lost virtually all of their possessions: electronics, jewelry and many other items were stolen in the middle of the day while the Rays were playing an exhibition game at Charlotte Sports Park.

David, who as a starting pitcher gets to leave before the game is over, was the first to return and noticed some plants were knocked over. He then saw that every drawer was open, realized what happened and called the others, who raced over.

"Everything was gone," Brig­nac said. "It's just a crappy situation."

Among the items taken were a 60-inch flat screen TV, three iPads, two Xbox game systems, headphones, Price's laptop and several of Price's high-priced watches that were packed in a bag of clothes. "They probably didn't even know what was in it," he said. Price estimated his loss in excess of $50,000, though he said his most expensive watch was insured.

"David got the worst part of it," Brignac said. "I feel bad for him."

David has a dog, named Astro. He was named after the character in the TV cartoon show, The Jetsons, one of Price's favorites as a kid. It looks kind of like a little bulldog, and has a great personality. People love to hang out with Astro, and so does Price.

March 2013 Spring Training: For the second consecutive year, Price participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters' largest fundraiser of the year. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides caring adult mentors to children facing adversity in the Tampa Bay community

Price feels fortunate to have come from a good family with a solid home life and plenty of friends in his neighborhood, and he has sympathy for others not as fortunate. He likes what Big Brothers Big Sisters brings to the table.

"Having [somebody from] Big Brothers-Big Sisters there to just give you advice or beat you in video games, whatever it is, somebody to hang out with," Price said. "And being able to hang out with somebody older than you is always fun. It's something I definitely cherished as a kid [having older brothers in his family] and I still do, today. I was very fortunate to have two older brothers."

Many have called Price the most competitive person they have met. 

Price is a jokester and teasing his fellow starters is a constant.

David owns a French bulldog named Astro who was often seen wearing a Rays #14 jersey. 

David Price is the cover athlete for “MLB 2K13,” which is available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

September 16, 2013:  David understands the importance of giving back to his community. Accordingly, he has put his time and money into helping others in his hometown, Murfreesboro, Tenn., as well as those in the Tampa Bay area.  In Price's younger days, he would often talk to his father, Bonnie, about his future.  "We decided that if we were in a position to give back, we would," Price said.

In 2008, he and his father began Project One Four, a charitable organization in Murfreesboro that supports programs and organizations that provide opportunities for youth to learn life skills in a safe and supportive environment. The mission statement of the charity is to make a difference in the lives of youth and their families.

Among Project One Four's endeavors has been to give away computers, backpacks and clothes to youngsters in need.  "I meet a lot of the people," Price said. "I've gotten to know some of them. I get to meet quite a few of them when we go out and deliver the computers or give the clothes and the backpacks and stuff like that."

When asked if he could appreciate how cool a kid must feel to receive a computer or backpack from a Major Leaguer, Price smiled.  "Yeah, that's the way I look at it," he said. "It's the same way I kind of view Twitter [@DAVIDprice14]. It's easy for me to do this, and it's a way to touch people's lives. That's pretty important."

Price believes that giving back to the youth of a community also brings large returns to his family.  "You get hugs and you see how happy they are," he said, "especially when we give away winter clothes and they don't have any of those. It gets pretty cold in Murfreesboro and in nearby Nashville, as well. For those kids to have jackets and warm clothes to go to school—that's pretty important."

Price doesn't know the exact number of kids Project One Four has reached, but he knows the program has made an impact.  "We give away quite a few backpacks with clothes to the kids," he said. "Schools will tell us how many kids need them, and that's what we try to provide."

Price's father runs the charity, and his brothers Jackie and Damon are active with the organization as well.  In addition to his own charity, Price has consistently worked with the Rays' many charities and community service initiatives.  (Chastain - mlb.com) 

Price has grown in stature every year of his career, grown not just in the hearts and minds of baseball fans everywhere, but also in how his teammates lean on him and trust him and follow him. He's not that kid fresh out of Vanderbilt anymore. He's one of the leaders of a team that defines smarts and excellence and a lot of other good stuff.

"It's a dream playing here," Price said. "It really is. This is hands down the closest it comes to college. Camaraderie. People caring for each other. People hanging out. It feels like an extension of my family, and that's special." (9/30/13)

Price, a Vanderbilt alum, was made an honorary 12th man by the Tennessee Titans at a game on Sunday, December 15, 2013. 

Price is a details-oriented guy, and he's smart.

"It's always great to see the kids," said Price. "There's a lot of different things they could be doing right now, and they chose baseball and are working on their baseball skills. It's good to see these kids and all different ages out here and also seeing the girls playing softball. It's good to see their passion for the game at a young age and to see them out here practicing."

Price got a personal tour of the academy with its director, former MLB outfielder Don Buford. Price was very impressed, not only with the facility, but with everything the place had to offer for the kids.

"This is probably one of the nicest academies I've been to," said the Tennessee native and three-time All-Star. "I haven't really seen something like this. It has all the fields, the locker rooms, the concession stand, meeting rooms, study rooms. They have everything for the kids and it's very nice."

Buford and his staff first took Price to the academy's back field where over a dozen girls were practicing softball. The 28-year-old pitcher was blown away by the thoughtful and intelligent questions the girls asked him. "These are some of the best questions I've fielded in a while," said Price to the young ladies.

"They asked some outstanding questions," Buford said. "They asked him how he got started and what age did he start and about his career and what was the most difficult time, and he took the time to answer them."

Next up were the boys, with more than 60 in attendance. Price used a microphone to talk baseball with them. When one boy handed him a ball and asked how he threw his various pitches, Price took his time and showed the large group every different pitch he has in his arsenal.

"That was really impressive," said Buford. "He showed the kids how he threw the fastball, curve, changeup and even the knuckleball and I think that was exciting for the kids to see and just to talk about it. It's really encouraging, but I think the biggest part about it was just the fact that he was here."

"It's really cool they're out there having fun," said Price. "That's all they're thinking of right now and that's the way it needs to be. You go out there, it's a game, it doesn't matter what age you are or the X amount of dollars that you are making—it's still a game, and that's what you have to remember at the end of the day, because, if you lose [sight] of that, it becomes more of just a job and it's not as much fun." (Ben Platt MLB.com 5/17/2014).

August 2, 2014: Price hit the golf course on his off-day not knowing whether he'd end the day still a Tampa Bay Ray. He did not consider the possibility he'd end up a Detroit Tiger until he received a text from Tigers reliever Joba Chamberlain.

"Joba texted me whenever I was playing golf that morning and said, 'Make sure you bring your sticks,'" Price said. "I was like, 'We already came to Detroit.' Then a couple hours later, I heard about it."

"My agent called me and told me, probably about 10-15 minutes before it happened, just said, 'Be ready, it's about to happen. It's probably going to be Detroit,'" Price said. "I just kind of sat there, took everything in."

He thought about the end of his Tampa Bay tenure. Then Price thought about the rotation he was joining in Detroit. From there, he just sat in silence and waited for the news to come out.

"I went home, just sat on the couch, sat there with the dogs and my girlfriend," he said. "We didn't have the TV on or anything. We were just relaxing. My phone let me know when it happened. It was a whirlwind. I'm excited."

"I want to fit in. I want to throw well, first and foremost for these guys, definitely for the city of Detroit and the packed houses in here in Comerica. It'll be different, it'll be new, and I'm looking forward to it." (Jason Beck - MLB.com  8/2/2014).

September 5, 2015: David Price tossed seven strong innings to earn the 100th victory of his career. "That's awesome, it's been parts of seven seasons to get here," Price said of the career milestone. "It has been a lot of good games and I'm pumped for every one that I get."

Wade Davis and Price bonded one summer night in 2009. The Rays' Triple-A Durham team was playing Triple-A Scranton and, after the game, the two settled into their hotel room on the second floor of the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel in Scranton, Pa. Davis and Price had both heard that the hotel was rumored to have been haunted.

"There were stories from other players," Davis said. "There were stories of a woman ghost on one floor. Just all kinds of stuff."

And it didn't take long for the hotel's reputation to grab their attention.

"We started hearing knocking on the door," Davis said, "but no one was ever there.

"We tried to get to sleep but it got really hot in the room. We turned the air conditioner to cool and it would go back to hot. Turn it down as cold as it could get, and it would turn up. Then we started hearing some weird noises, stuff out of the walls. Can't describe them. Kind of like screams."

Well, by 7:30 the next morning, both Price and Davis were down in the lobby with suitcases packed. They checked out and checked into a Ramada down the street.

"That's how serious it was—we're never up at 7:30 after a game," Davis said. "But we sure were that morning. All the stuff that went on—not cool." (Jeffrey Flanagan - MLB.com - Oct. 2015)

October 2016: Just in time for the World Series, Cartoon Network’s “Uncle Grandpa” animated series will sport a Fall Classic theme on Oct. 22.

The show will air at 12:15 p.m. and will feature Rays pitcher Chris Archer, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, Astros second baseman José Altuve, Red Sox pitcher David Price, and Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard. The Major Leaguers will attempt to help Uncle Grandpa train his struggling Little League squad.

Price played with Pedro Alvarez at Vanderbilt.

2016 offseason: Price married his girlfriend Tiffany in Hawaii. The couple were expecting a boy in May who they will name Xavier. Tiffany is a certified Pilates instructor who David trains with in the offseason.

March 3, 2017: During his one-day visit to Indianapolis, David Price was told by two of the most prominent orthopedic surgeons that he has a "very unique" left elbow. He was visibly relieved as he spoke to reporters in Fort Myers about the fact he has dodged season-ending surgery. The belief is that rest and rehab will be enough for Price to return to action for the Red Sox in the not-too-distant future.

The injury to Price's left forearm, according to Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, is muscular in nature and the MCL ligament is not damaged.

"[They told me] that I have a very unique elbow, and I've heard that before but not from guys that have done the surgeries they've done and looked at as many elbows as they've looked at. So just to hear it from those two guys, it felt good," said Price.

Though it certainly seems possible Price will start the season on the disabled list, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said no decisions have been made. No timetable has been set for his return to action.

"We haven't even discussed that at this point," Dombrowski said. "I mean, if he's down a week. He's already been built up to pitch in a game so we've been careful not to even get into that point. As I told him, when I talked to him on the phone, that's not the most important part for us at this time. The more important part is to get him where he feels good and ready to go and whatever that time frame may be."

All that has been decided is that Price will take medication for the next seven to 10 days and won't throw the baseball during that time. But there's no guarantee Price will start throwing again once that time period expires.

"I'm not putting a timetable on it," said Price. "If we say 7-10 days and if I'm not out there in 10 days, I'm sure that's going to be the next story. And if I'm not there in five days, that'll be the next story as well. So there is no timetable. There is no '7-10 days,' so just go ahead and disregard that.

"I'll know when I feel good enough to go out there and throw a baseball, and I'll know when I need to back it down or whatever I need to do. [The doctors said] to listen to my body and that's something I've talked about for a while. That's something I think I do a pretty good job of. We have a very good training staff here and they'll get me back out there." (I Browne - MLB.com - March 4, 2017)

Dealing with and rehabbing from injury can often be a long and frustrating process. So, as David awaited his 2017 debut, he likely could have used a little bundle of joy.  That bundle of joy came in the form of the birth of his son, Xavier: "Our (wife Tiffany) 'lil man'!! Xavier is happy to be home!! Tif was an absolute trooper and made it easy on daddy."  (Chesterton - mlb.com - 5/19/17)

July 29, 2017: For the first time since Price confronted NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley on a team flight a month before, Price spoke at length about what led to the incident. Price also added that he looks forward to having a chance to speak with Eckersley in hopes of clearing the air.

That won't be possible yet, as Eckersley is in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. "Yeah, we'll speak when he's here in person. We'll definitely talk it out," said Price, who is on the 10-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation. Price made it clear that what upset him the most is that Eckersley, who is known for being candid in his analysis, doesn't spend time in the clubhouse like other announcers.

"If Eck was around, he'd know who we are," Price said. "He's never in the clubhouse. Mr. [Jerry] Remy is always in here. Dave O'Brien is always around. Mr. [Mike] Timlin, on the last road trip, was always in the clubhouse. He's the one guy I've seen in my career that doesn't ever show his face in the clubhouse. There's a reason behind that. I mean if you're going to say what he says, you know, come around. Just show your face. And if guys have a problem with it, they'll pull him aside. Be like, 'That ain't how it's done.' This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck."

Price thinks that Eckersley's analysis has been less biting since their run-in. Does Price feel bad about the incident? "I could have handled it probably a different way, but ever since that's happened, he's been really good," Price said. "He's said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse. This is one band, one sound. We've got to have everybody on board. That's that."

Does Price feel the need to apologize to Eckersley? "When he's around, we'll speak face to face," Price said. "I'm sure you all will hear what's said. That's the way it goes." Numerous reports have stated that what drew Price's ire on the night of June 29 was Eckersley saying "yuck" when NESN flashed the pitching line of Eduardo Rodriguez's Minor League rehab start. 

"I talked to my dad this morning and he remembered whenever I got suspended in fifth grade for one day, for standing up for classmates," Price said. "And that's who I am, that's who I always have been, and that's who I'll continue to be." (I Browne - MLB.com - July 29, 2017)

2019: Price will look to build on his superb postseason performance in 2019, but he'll be doing so with a new number on the back of his jersey.

After wearing No. 24 since joining the Red Sox in 2016, Price will be changing to No. 10, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. The No. 24 has been worn by Boston greats Manny Ramirez and Dwight Evans, but Abraham notes that there's nothing special going on with Price's switch; it appears the lefty is just going with something different.

Price wore No. 14 at Vanderbilt and has worn the number throughout his professional career. He wasn't able to wear No. 14 when he signed a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Red Sox because the number was retired for Hall of Famer Jim Rice. However, it seems the answer is much simpler. As Twitter user, Chelsea Catlette surmised, Price's son's name is Xavier and X means 10 in Roman Numerals. The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham was able to confirm it.

Aug 1, 2019: Tiffany Price had the couple’s second baby, a girl.

During the coronavirus pandemic, David said he was still in Arizona, and still playing catch while keeping a distance.  He said he’s keeping his arm moving by playing catch and doing arm exercises so he’ll be ready to ramp up when baseball gets the green light, but expects another “training camp” to be a necessity.

“You can throw as many bullpens as you want or play catch, but unless you’re out there facing hitters, it’s tough to get to that intensity,” he said.

"In my first start against Cincinnati [in Spring Training 2020], I had runners on second base and I don’t think I looked at second base one time, even though I told myself to check the runner,” he said. “I just didn’t do it. Everything was speeding up and I was getting back into the flow of the game. It takes time.”

Price is optimistic about a return to form after successful surgery in September 2019 to remove a cyst from his left wrist that has allowed him to regain feeling in the joint.  (Gurnick - mlb.com - 3/24/2020)

Since making his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, David Price wore No. 14 for his first eight seasons. Upon joining the Boston Red Sox in 2016, he switched to No. 24. That remained Price’s jersey number until changing to No. 10 last season.

A trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers required the left-hander to find a new number, as No. 10 is of course taken by Justin Turner. As he sat in center field at Dodger Stadium for an introductory press conference, Price explained he opted for No. 33 to pay homage to former teammate James Shields.

“Showed me the right way to do things at the field, away from the field, being a father and husband. He’s a guy I’ve looked up to ever since I met him,” Price said of Shields. “He’s worn 33 for his entire career in the big leagues, so for him to do what he did for me, I thought this was a way for me to pay him back a little bit.”

But as it turns out, Price nearly assumed No. 18, which was available in the wake of Kenta Maeda being traded to the Minnesota Twins. The revelation was made during the latest Dodgers Zoom Party, when Price answered a question submitted from a fan.

“I chose 18, just because one of my favorite numbers is eight. It was close to 10, which was the number I was already wearing. I told Alex, our head clubbie guy, that I was going to wear 18,” he said. “Then I started thinking about it a little bit and my wife asked me if there was any significance to that number. I was like, ‘No. I just picked it. It looked kind of like 10. It’s a smaller number that I like.’

“Then I got to thinking about it, and I didn’t want my teammates or Dodger fans to be thinking that I’m talking about 2018, so I wanted to switch to something else. I switched to 33 because it had meaning to me. I picked that because of Shields. I guess at first I did pick 18 but I thought better of it.” (Matthew Moreno - May 20, 2020)

May 29, 2020: Dodgers pitcher David Price hasn’t been with his new organization long, but he’s making sure its minor-league players get the help they need. To help minor-league players stay afloat amid the coronavirus shutdown, Price is reportedly giving every minor-league player in the Dodgers’ system $1,000, according to ESPN.

The 34-year-old Price will give $1,000 to every Dodgers minor leaguer who is not on the team’s 40-man roster. Over 200 players will be impacted by Price’s deed. Francys Romero was the first to report the news. Alden Gonzalez of ESPN was able to confirm Price’s payment. (Chris Cwik)

July 4-Nov 2, 2020: David Price has announced he will opt out of the 2020 season. He made his announcement in a tweet.

“After considerable thought and discussion with my family and the Dodgers, I have decided it is in the best interest of my health and my family’s health for me to not play this season,” Price wrote in his announcement. “I will miss my teammates and will be cheering for them throughout the season and on to a World Series victory. I’m sorry I won’t be playing for you this year, but look forward to representing you next year.” (Jeffrey Bellone)

June 30-July 3, 2022: David was on the bereavement list.

TRANSACTIONS

June 7, 2007: The Devil Rays chose Price in the first round (#1 overall), out of Vanderbilt University. And the Rays finally signed David on August 15, 2007, just minutes before the deadline, with $5.6 million signing bonus and $8.5 million guaranteed. Brad Matthews is the scout who signed him.

January 16, 2014: Price and the Rays agreed on a one-year, $14 million contract.

July 31, 2014: The Tigers acquired David Price in a blockbuster, three-team trade with the Rays and Mariners.

The Tigers sent center fielder Austin Jackson to Seattle, while Tampa received lefthander Drew Smyly from the Tigers and infielder Nick Franklin from the Mariners. The Rays also received infield prospect Willy Adames from the Tigers.

January 16, 2015: Price and the Tigers agreed on a one-year deal for $19.7 million, avoiding arbitration.

July 30, 2015: The Blue Jays sent three lefthanded pitchers to the Tigers: Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt. Toronto received David Price.

December 4, 2015: The Red Sox signed Price to a seven-year, $217 million contract (an average of $31 million a year).

Feb 9, 2020: In a three-team blockbuster trade, the Red Sox get OF Alex Verdugo, SS Jeter Downs and C Connnor Wong from the Dodgers. The Dodgers got OF Mookie Betts, LHP David Price, and cash from the Red Sox; and RHP Brusder Graterol, OF Luke Raley, and the 67th pick from the 2020 draft from the Twins. The Twins received RHP Kenta Maeda, a minor leaguer, and cash from the Dodgers.

To get the trade done, however, the Dodgers also had to take on a reported $16 million a year in Price’s contract. The Red Sox and the Dodgers will split the remaining $96 million owed to Price over the next three years, The $48 million sent by the Red Sox to the Dodgers will count toward Boston's luxury tax payroll, prorated annually over the three years remaining on the deal.

Price is a tall, lanky lefthander with an 92-95 mph 4-seam FASTBALL that has good tailing action away from righthanded hitters and a 91-94 mph 2-seam SINKER. He throws a hard, swing-and-miss 79-81 mph CURVEBALL. Hitters take it for a called strike.

In 2009, he lost his slider. But he added an 88-91 mph CUTTER a few years later, while refining his 85-88 mph CHANGEUP.

That changeup has very good deception and fading action. Way back in 2011, teammate James Shields helped. Price said that he finally found a grip he likes, which could best be described as a modified circle-change grip.

When he needs to reach back for that 98 mph heater, it always seems to be there for him. And it has excellent late life. That and the slider are excellent pitches.

2016 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 17.4% of the time; Sinker 31.5% of the time; Change 22.9%; Curve 8.6%; and Cutter 19.7% of the time.

2017 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 12% of the time, his Sinker 45.3%; Changeup 14.6%; Curveball 6.2%; and Cutter 22% of the time.

2018 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 15% of the time, his Sinker 33.4%; Changeup 22.8%; Curveball 2.5%; and Cutter 26.2% of the time.  Average velocity: 4-seam 93 mph, Sinker 93, Changeup 85.7, Curveball 79.5, and Cutter 89.1 mph.

2019 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 23.8% of the time, his Sinker 28.2%; Changeup 25.9%; Curveball 2.5%; and Cutter 19.7% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 93 mph, Sinker 92.4, Sinker 92.2, Changeup 84.4, Curveball 80.8, and Cutter 88.9 mph.

2020 Season Pitch Usage:  Did not pitch.

David Price once was the hardest-throwing lefthanded starter in baseball. 

David has good control and solid feel for the pitching craft. He places his fastball on both sides of the plate. And he adds and subtracts velocity to all of his pitches.

He is a fierce competitor who is motivated to be at the top of the game. His makeup and humility are exceptional. He has a great disposition.

"I think I have a better grasp of what type of pitcher I am and what type of pitcher I want to be. I think that's helped me out a lot, understanding that." (Opening Day 2014)

Price entered the game with 997 strikeouts, and after striking out two Astros in the first inning, he ran a 94-mph fastball over the inside corner past Chris Carter in the second. After the strikeout, the Rays announced the milestone, and the Tropicana Field crowd gave Price an ovation.

Price said he would have enjoyed the moment more if it had been an inning-ending strikeout, so he would have had time to stop and thank the fans, instead of during an inning when he had to focus on the game. But, he said, "I appreciate everybody that was cheering."

Curtis Granderson has recorded the most strikeouts against Price of any hitter, with 21. No. 2 is Alex Rodriguez, who has struck out 17 times against him.

The only other Rays pitcher to hit the 1,000-strikeout mark was James Shields, who struck out his 1,000th batter on Aug. 31, 2011, against the Rangers. It took Shields 180 career appearances and 1,185 innings to reach the mark, but Price got there in 168 appearances and 1,082 innings.

"I've been able to see close up the natural progression, the strike-thrower that he's turned into," manager Joe Maddon said. "The development of other pitches on the Major League level, which a lot of guys cannot do. His curveball as an example, his changeup as an example, his cutter, all kind of came to the party a little bit later in regard to their effectiveness, and it's something he's learned here. And that speaks to his athletic abilities, too. So I've witnessed all that." (Adler - mlb.com - 6/20/14)

June 2014: Price set the team record for strikeouts in a month with 54, surpassing Scott Kazmir's mark of 50 set in August 2007. He also became just the eighth pitcher to notch double-digit strikeouts in five consecutive games, and the first since Johan Santana in 2004.

March 31, 2018: Help us figure out ... just what the heck that thing David Price is using. During the Red Sox game, David Price massages his hand using an odd contraption that leaves the announcers perplexed. It only makes sense that ballplayers have futuristic workout equipment. After all, if they can become Major League stars by using the same medicine balls and treadmills that are available at every neighborhood gym, then the only excuse that we aren't Major Leaguers is a total lack of talent and drive.

Yeah, it's definitely the equipment. But this time, even Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy didn't know what Price was using during the Red Sox's 3-2 win over the Rays.

So, help us out. What is this thing? It's a Bop it. It's a whatchamacallit. It's a mobile abacus. It's a piece of advanced alien technology. It' a, well, it's kind of like, you know those uhh . . . things?

Nov. 20, 2018: David Price of the Boston Red Sox was named the recipient of the 2018 American League Comeback Player of the Year Award by Major League Baseball.

Limited by injury to just 16 games (11 starts) in 2017, Price returned to form in 2018, going 16-7 with a 3.58 ERA over 30 starts. In his third season with Boston, the five-time All-Star permitted 70 earned runs on 151 hits with 50 walks and 177 strikeouts in 176 innings. His 16 wins were tied for seventh best in the AL, and it marked the fifth time in his 11 Major League seasons in which he recorded at least 16 victories.

The 2012 AL Cy Young winner led the Red Sox with 18 quality starts, allowing two earned runs or fewer in 18 of his starts, including one or no earned runs in 11 starts. In addition, Price made six scoreless starts of at least six innings, tied for third most in the AL behind only Cy Young Award finalists Justin Verlander (9) and Corey Kluber (8).

From May 17-Sept. 26, Price yielded three earned runs or fewer in 13 consecutive home starts, marking the longest streak by a Red Sox pitcher since Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez in 2000-01 (18), and the longest by a Sox left-hander since Hall of Famer Babe Ruth in 1916 (16).

July 7, 2019: Price pitched his 150th career win.

Price was traded to the Dodgers along with Mookie Betts in February 2020 but has yet to take the mound in a game for Los Angeles. He elected not to play in 2020 due to health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series even without Price in their starting rotation.

The 35-year-old winner went 7-5 with a 4.28 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 22 starts for the Red Sox in 2019, a year after helping lead Boston to the 2018 World Series championship (against the Dodgers). (D Adler - MLB.com - Jan 12, 2021)

Entering the 2022 season, Price had a career record of 155-82 and 3.33 ERA, having allowed 1,892 hits with 215 home runs in 2,103 innings pitched.

2022 Season: Price made 40 appearances in the 2022 season, of which 34 of them were for an inning or more (but never two, topping out at 1⅔ innings three times).

Price started his year in the Dodgers bullpen, appearing for the first time on a freezing rainy night in Minneapolis on April 12. Price made five appearances before going on the injured list on April 24 for testing positive for COVID-19 — after spending the past two years trying to avoid the virus, going as far as opting out of play in 2020.

About a month later, on May 17, Price was activated and made another 14 appearances, mostly appearing in middle relief. At the end of June, Price had pitched 19⅔ innings with a 3.20 ERA and 24 strikeouts. On June 30, Price was placed on the family emergency list.

On July 3, Price returned to active duty, ending the Ian Gibaut era. Around this time, Price spoke with Plunkett of The Orange County Register seemingly confirming the widely known belief that Price would retire at the end of his current contract. Price would make 19 additional appearances through the end of August, again, primarily in middle relief.

 On September 4, Price returned to the injured list with left wrist inflammation and missed most of the month of September. Price returned to the active roster on September 29, a move that was overlooked because Yency Almonte was also activated on the same day. That night, Price earned his second save of the year in the regular season finale against the Padres, with some commentary from Joe Davis that did not age well at all.

Price’s final appearance in 2022 was the following night in Los Angeles: a scoreless inning of work in a 10-1 drubbing of Colorado. Price was left off the postseason roster.  (Michael Elizondo@elidelajandro  Dec 28, 2022)

March 23-May 22, 2008: Price went on the D.L. for the start of the season after feeling soreness in his elbow. It was diagnosed as a muscle strain.

"It just felt (like) tightness," Price said. "It wasn't like excruciating pain, but I've never felt anything like that before. My gut feeling, I feel OK right now. I don't think it's too bad."

March 4-May 29, 2017: During his one-day visit to Indianapolis, David was told by two of the most prominent orthopedic surgeons that he has a very unique left elbow.

The five-time All-Star was visibly relieved as he spoke to reporters about the fact he has dodged season-ending surgery. The belief is that rest and rehab will be enough for Price to return to action for the Red Sox in the not-too-distant future.

The injury to Price's left forearm, according to Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, is muscular in nature and the MCL ligament is not damaged.

July 25-Sept 14, 2017: Price was on the DL with inflammation in his left elbow.

May 2018: Price would have pitched at Yankee Stadium in an outing that was scratched when he was diagnosed with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Price also added that he doesn't believe his hobby of playing video games, and in particular the increasingly popular "Fortnite," has anything to do with the ailment that caused numbness in his left hand.

May 3-20, 2019:  David was placed on the 10-day injured list with left elbow tendinitis.

Aug 5-Sept 1, 2019: Price was on the IL with left wrist TFCC cyst.

Aug 10-Oct 1, 2019: Price is on the road to recovery. Four days after receiving a cortisone shot in his left wrist to combat a triangular fibrocartilage complex cyst, the left-hander is feeling on the mend.

“[It was the] first time I had an injection like that, so it made it sore the first 48 hours,” Price said before the Red Sox game against the Angels. “But yesterday it started feeling a lot better, and same as today.”

He had been experiencing tightness over his last three-to-four starts, and it was affecting his hand strength and range of motion.

September 18, 2019:  David was shut down for the remainder of the season due to a cyst in his left wrist.

Oct 1, 2019: David Price required surgery on his left wrist.

“The surgery went well and we fully expect David to be ready to go,” said O’Halloran. “Normal offseason once he recovers from the surgery and ready to go in Spring Training.”

Feb 18, 2020: Price threw a bullpen session. The left-hander appears to be on a normal schedule following wrist surgery in September 2019.

April 26-May 17, 2021: Price was on the IL with right hammy strain. Manager Dave Roberts was planning on using Price for multiple innings during the loss to San Diego, but the left-hander felt discomfort in the hamstring during his first few pitches of his outing. Price was able to finish the seventh inning, but then Roberts was notified that he couldn’t go any longer.

May 14, 2021: Price completed the next step in his rehab process, a two-inning, 30-pitch live batting practice session at Dodger Stadium. It was the second time in the last week that Price threw to hitters off the mound at Dodger Stadium. If his body feels good after recovery, he will either be activated or he’ll go through one more live BP.

April 24-May 17, 2022: Price was on the Covid-19 IL.

April 26, 2022:  Upon taking a test, David found out that he had tested positive. Roberts added that Price is fully vaccinated. It’s unclear just how much time he will miss, but he is currently away from the team. Roberts said Price is "more day to day" and is still feeling fatigue later in days. Roberts said no other players have reported symptoms.