McAdam: Red Sox' problems with David Price not limited to postseason anymore

NEW YORK -- In his first two seasons in Boston, the Red Sox had reason to feel apprehensive when it came to pitching David Price in the postseason. When they signed him after the 2015 season, they knew his shaky track record could be an issue.

Sure enough, in his first October in a Red Sox uniform, Price was shelled for five runs in 3.1 innings against the Cleveland Indians.

Now, the Red Sox have another issue with their $217 million pitcher: he can't pitch against their top rivals, either.

Price was battered for five homers and eight runs in just 3.1 innings Sunday night as the Sox were rolled 11-1, in the series finale against the New York Yankees.

In two abbreviated starts against the Yankees this season, Price has been hammered for 12 runs in just 4.1 innings, which translates to an ERA of 24.92. And that doesn't count another planned start that was scrapped when Price was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.

So now, the Red Sox don't get to wait until October for their anxiety to ramp up. They can begin worrying about the first week of August -- when the Yankees invade Fenway for four games -- and the final two weeks of the season, when the Sox play six of their final 12 games of the regular season against the Yankees.

It's not like they can hide him every time and skip his turn in the rotation when the Yankees pop up on the schedule. Nor, given their investment in him, should have to contemplate that.

But how are the Red Sox supposed to plot out winning the division from their rivals when their No. 2 starter is seemingly incapable of being so much as competitive against them?

And it's not just these two starts, either. Since joining the Red Sox, Price has an 8.43 ERA in nine starts against the Yanks. Here in Yankee Stadium, it's even worse: a 10.44 ERA.

The strange thing is, Price used to pitch pretty well against the Yankees when he was with Tampa Bay, Detroit and Toronto, pitching to a 3.62 ERA. Take away one uncharacteristically brutal start for Detroit against the Yanks in 2015 and that number drops all the way to 3.27.

But since donning a Red Sox uniform, the Yankees have become his Kryptonite.

What happened?

"Different teams, haven't executed as well as I did then,'' said Price, searching for answers. "I'm sure there's a lot of things. To pinpoint one of them, that's kind of tough. Just execution in those big spots — that's something I need to do a better job with. ... I've faced the Yankees many times. It's time for me to go back to that drawing board and kind of reinvent myself against these guys.''

Maybe Price is correct, that this is about execution and game planning and locating. Maybe it's the result of the Yankees getting plenty of looks at him and learning how to hit him.

But it's possible there's another, more ominous explanation for his struggles: maybe Price just lacks the confidence to beat the Yankees.

That's the explanation that's been offered for his failure to win a single game as a starter in the postseason — that Price somehow psyches himself out, puts too much pressure on himself, or worse yet, is mentally beaten before he even takes the mound in October.

Now, there's mounting evidence to suggest that's the issue with the Yankees.

After all, Price spent the last few weeks not-to-subtly mocking the narrative that he's not tough enough to pitch in big spots, sarcastically labeling himself "soft'' while mocking the notion that he wasn't tough enough in big spots. He did so almost dripping with condescension, as if that suggestion was the most ludicrous explanation possible for his travails.

But it's hard to think otherwise, given the body of evidence.

Alex Cora, Price's manager, dismissed any suggestion that his pitcher has some sort of mental block when it comes to facing the Yankees.

"I don't have concerns,'' said Cora. "There's a lot of stuff (where) you can throw numbers out. But it's just a matter of executing pitches. He didn't do it today, he didn't do it the first time at home (in April). It's a work in progress.''

Cora, of course, has to say that. He has to defend his guy and offer public support.

But it's becoming increasingly obvious this is A Thing, and will remain so until Price demonstrates otherwise.

That makes it hard for the Red Sox to feel good about their chances to win the division. How can they overtake the team they have to beat, knowing that their No. 2 starter has become a liability against them?

Losing a game in July in a tight race where every game counts is bad enough. But whether they like it or not, the prospect of winning the division and avoiding the trap of a one-game wild-card game just got a lot tougher for the Red Sox.