Turns out that David Price may now be sidelined until May after taking longer than expected to recover from the elbow injury he suffered back in February. Price had originally hoped that he would be back pitching quickly after being told his injury did not require surgery. However, despite the rest and meds, it has now been revealed that the damage he received has diminished the strength in his arm. Bottom line: this won’t be as quick a comeback as we originally hoped.
According to the Boston Herald, Price has pretty much gone back to square one. He is weaker than he was when he started the season, and the road to recovery is going to take quite some time. Aside from performing some light throws, Price has been unable to pitch a ball since February 28th, and he now not only needs to build up the strength he has lost but also his endurance.
The recovery program set up for Price will be similar to what he had when he entered camp. A structured throwing program will be put in place to increase the durability of his arm, and he will undergo a methodical process with the aim of stressing his arm in increments. If Price gets through this program without any setbacks, we could get him back in May. However, should he have any issues during this time, it’s likely he could be sidelined longer.
According to people much smarter than me, it’s a good idea to take the recovery process slowly. Price has thrown over 220 innings in the last three years, and in 2014 and 2016 he led the league for the number of pitches. This amount of stress on the elbow was bound to lead to an injury before long, and some rest and recuperation is very well just what he needs to get back to his best. Although Red Sox fans aren’t too happy with the news, it will be interesting to see what odds the bookmakers like Efirbet continue to offer as we wait for his return. There have been other injuries in the squad of late, too, so the Red Sox certainly aren’t putting out their strongest team, and probably won’t be for a while.
If Price can get back into form by May, and if his teammates, most notably Rodriguez and Wright can hold their own, there should be no reason for Price’s injury to completely derail the season. A shorter season, and extra time to prepare, may even help Price if (or when) the Red Sox get into the playoffs this year. Right now, we just sit back and wait.
