David Price doesn't seem all that concerned about being at the center of trade rumors this offseason.
The Boston Red Sox left-hander has been linked to multiple teams on the rumor mill, including the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals. But through all the noise, he's maintained his focus on competing in 2020.
Price explained his current mindset on Monday to Jonny Miller of WBZ.
It doesn’t affect me. I’m still coming up here Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, getting my work in. I’ve been traded from Tampa Bay, from Detroit. I’ve been traded twice, and it’s part of the business. This is a business at the end of the day, and changes are going to be made, moves are going to be made, and you’ve just go out there and continue to play baseball.
There's been plenty of talk throughout the winter about the Red Sox looking to shed payroll ahead of the 2020 campaign. If that's the case, Price and the $96 million remaining on his contract are prime candidates to be shipped out of town.
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Another trade candidate is superstar outfielder Mookie Betts, who's set to hit free agency after the 2020 season if he and the Red Sox don't agree on a contract extension. The idea of packaging the two in a deal for salary relief purposes has been floated, though it doesn't appear to be likely at this point.
Boston Red Sox
The Price rumors seem to have cooled down lately, so all signs currently point toward the 34-year-old returning for his fifth season in Boston. And if anything changes on that front, Price will handle it as he always has -- as a business.