Price sets notorious postseason record with lackluster outing
The Toronto Blue Jays were hoping David Price would lead them to the promised land when they acquired him prior to the July trade deadline, but his postseason struggles continued in Thursday's ALDS series opener against the Texas Rangers.
Price, pitching on 11 days' rest, allowed five runs on five hits and yielded a pair of homers to become the only pitcher in major-league history to lose his first six postseason starts. Four of those losses have been to the Rangers.
PRICE'S 6 POSTSEASON STARTS
| DATE | OPP | IP | H | ER | BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/10/15 | TEX | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 5/10/14 | BAL | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 5/10/13 | BOS | 7 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| 3/10/11 | TEX | 6.2 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| 12/10/10 | TEX | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 6/10/10 | TEX | 6.2 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
"I want that monkey off my back," a dejected Price said after the lackluster outing. "I didn't step up today."
"I feel like in the first inning I was more so battling nerves," he added. "I have nerves for a spring-training start, for my first bullpen of the year; I care. If you're not nervous for those first couple of pitches out there in the first inning, I don't feel like you're human. I care a ton. I want to go out there and pitch well for my teammates and pitch well for this country and I didn't do that."
Price is tentatively scheduled to pitch in Game 5 of the series next Wednesday. He could, however, be moved up to start on short rest in place of knuckleballer R.A. Dickey for Monday's Game 4 in Arlington, should it be an elimination game.
Texas leads the best-of-five series 1-0 after its 5-3 win Thursday.