Dodgers pitcher David Price, citing his health and that of his family during the new coronavirus outbreak, announced Saturday that he had chosen not to participate in the 2020 season.
Price, who turns 35 next month, is the first Dodgers player to publicly declare his intention not to play this season. He posted his announcement to social media on Saturday as the Dodgers held their second official training camp training session at Dodger Stadium. The team is slated to open its 60-game season on July 23.
“After much thought and discussion with my family and the Dodgers, I have decided that it is in my best health and the health of my family not to play this season,” Price wrote. “I will miss my teammates and cheer them on throughout the season and until victory in the World Series. Sorry, I’m not going to play for you this year, but I hope to represent you next year. “
The Dodgers then released a statement supporting Price’s decision.
“The Dodgers fully support David’s decision to stay out of the 2020 season,” the Dodgers said. “We have been in constant contact with David and we understand how much this deliberation weighed on him and his family. We know that he will strongly support the club every day and we hope he will come back to us in 2021. ”
Price will lose all of his prorated salary, approximately $ 11.8 million of the $ 32 million salary he would have earned in a 162-game season, and service time for 2020 because he was not medically designated as a high-risk individual. Major League Baseball has ruled that only high-risk players can choose not to participate and receive their full prorated wages and season duty.
The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner and five-time All-Star, Price is the most notable player in Major League Baseball to decide not to play in 2020 thus far. He joins Mike Leake of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ian Desmond of the Colorado Rockies and Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross of the Washington Nationals. Those players decided it was not worth playing as COVID-19 cases are increasing in states across the country.
“The guys who don’t choose, I understand that,” Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “I have that decision. … Everyone will have to make individual decisions and we will support that as a team with whatever happens to our boys. “
After three months of public negotiations over money while the league was suspended, MLB and the players’ union agreed to organize a different season than attempts by other American professional sports leagues to play during the pandemic.
Instead of keeping teams in centers like the NBA, NHL, and MLS, teams will travel from city to city, though limited to their regions to avoid long trips. A 101-page Operations Manual with changes to the rules and minute details was produced to ban the use of the hotel pool.
The document left the behavior far from the stages to the individual.
“MLB will not formally restrict the activities of covered people when they are away from the club premises, but will expect the covered people in each club to ensure that everyone acts responsibly,” the manual reads.
On Saturday morning, hours before Price’s announcement, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said discussions were still taking place with players who were considering opting out.
“We are having conversations with people about how they feel about putting themselves in potential situations that they are not comfortable with,” said Roberts. “So these conversations take place every day, and so if it comes to that situation, as I said, we are going to support that person.”
The Dodgers acquired Price and Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox in February for Alex Verdugo and two prospects. Price was slated to rank third in his initial rotation behind Kershaw and Walker Buehler.
The Dodgers relied on Price, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft and once the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history, to bounce back from a disappointing and injury-ridden 2019 season in which he posted an average of 4.28 earned runs. at 22 it starts.
They will proceed without him this season, if there is a season.
Short jumps
The Dodgers will pass players through the designated hitter spot rather than having a dedicated DH, according to Roberts. The National League is slated to have DH for the first time in history this season before returning to non-DH next season. … Roberts said AJ Ramos, signed Thursday with a minor league contract, is expected to join the club on Sunday.
