Free agency hasn’t even truly started yet, and the top free agent on the market is already getting tied to a team by multiple sources. David Price and the Cubs have seemingly been a match for months, and as the hot stove season begins to kick up, reports are beginning to indicate that Price will be rejoining former manager Joe Maddon on Chicago’s North Side.
First, from ESPN’s Buster Olney…
some rival evaluators consider the Cubs to be the heavy, heavy favorites to sign him.
And if you want another source, here’s Fox’s Ken Rosenthal…
Two agents for free-agent starting pitchers predict that Price will sign with the Cubs. An executive who knows Price says that the Cubs are his first choice.
Price had a 2.45 ERA in 220 1/3 innings this season, split between the Tigers and Blue Jays. That ERA was a career-low for Price, and his innings total was the third-highest of his career (behind 2011 and 2014). He also struck out 225 and walked 47, and is one of the two front runners for the AL Cy Young award along with Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros.
Imagine a rotation led by Price, Jon Lester, and Jake Arrieta. Man…that’s just not fair. Throw Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel into the back-end of the rotation, and you’re looking at a fivesome that any team in baseball would be hard-pressed to match.
