A circulation problem in his left hand forced the Red Sox on Tuesday to scratch David Price from Wednesday night’s scheduled start against the Yankees and send the left-hander to Boston for tests.
The problem isn’t new for Price, who was removed from a game against the Yankees at Fenway Park on April 11 with a hand issue after giving up four runs and three hits, including a two-run homer to Gary Sanchez, in the first inning of a Yankees victory.
Price is 1-4 with an 8.22 ERA in his past five starts and 2-4 with a 5.11 ERA in seven starts this season. He is 15-12 with a 4.67 ERA in 39 games (38 starts) against the Yankees.
Price had a bullpen session on Sunday cut short due to numbness. Rick Porcello will start Wednesday and Eduardo Rodriguez will go Thursday for the Red Sox.
“In his last bullpen [Sunday in Texas] David had the same symptoms that he had before,’’ manager Alex Cora said Tuesday before his Red Sox lost, 3-2, to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. “We sent him to Boston [Tuesday] and he is getting tested now.We’ll have more later tonight or [Wednesday].’’
Cora said Price came to the Stadium on Monday, got treatment and threw a little bit.
“We decided it was better for him to go back to Boston and check it out and go from there,” Cora said. “I’m not saying he will miss the next start or be a DL situation here, but we want to make sure. We thought it was a one-game thing, but I was concerned when I heard about this on Sunday. His health is most important. The more we know about this situation the better it is going to be for him and the team. … I told him your health is more important than just one or two starts now.’’
GM Brian Cashman made a point of going over to Cora during practice batting before Tuesday’s game and putting an “I [heart] Nevin sticker” on his back.
Cora and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin were fined for jawing at each other during the brawl between the two teams at Fenway Park on April 11 after Boston’s Joe Kelly drilled Tyler Austin, likely in retaliation for Austin’s hard slide into second base earlier in the game.
At the time, Nevin called Cora’s actions “unprofessional.”
— Additional reporting by Dan Martin
