NL GM: Red Sox will outspend teams by $30-40M for Price
The baseball world took a breather for Thanksgiving on Thursday, but now every general manager's focus is turning to signing the top free agents leading up to the winter meetings in early December.
Southpaw David Price is arguably the top pitcher available this fall, and one team appears to be willing to break the bank for the ace.
"Boston will go $30-40 million above anyone else," a National League GM told Peter Gammons.
ESPN's Buster Olney reported Wednesday the Red Sox will generate the highest contract offer to Price, and Boston manager John Farrell also recently hinted the club is extremely interested in signing an "elite" pitcher, and has the financial resources to do so. The expectation is Price could command a seven-year deal worth potentially over $200 million, depending on the bidding war that's sure to commence over the coming weeks.
Related: Red Sox will generate highest offer to Price
Dave Dombrowski, Boston's new president of baseball operations, traded for Price in 2014 when he was in charge of the Detroit Tigers. He avoided arbitration with Price by dishing out a record one-year, $19.75-million deal to retain his services, and the executive appears to be willing to overpay again for a potential reunion with the American League Cy Young runner-up in Beantown.
"I just think Dombrowski loves him and he is part of the job Dave took," another GM explained to Gammons.
Boston isn't the only club with deep pockets pursuing Price, however. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and St. Louis Cardinals are also in on the Price sweepstakes, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Price, 30, compiled an 18-5 record with a 2.45 ERA, while striking out 225 batters over 32 starts with the Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays.