Dodgers News: David Price Encouraged By Progress With Building Pitch Count
David Price, Justin Turner
Michael Ciaglo/USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell just short of completing a three-game sweep over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort on David Price’s part as he logged his longest outing of the season.

The left-hander provided four innings of two-hit ball, allowing just one run and collecting four strikeouts against one walk. “Fastball was good, commanded the cutter pretty well throughout the game, changeup was alright in spots,” Price said after the game.

“I really relied heavily on my fastball.”

With so much uncertainty surrounding the Dodgers rotation, Price is in the process of stretching out as a starter after beginning the year in the bullpen. “I got four days off, then I get to pitch again,” he noted.

“Routine as a starter in between starts is probably a little bit more familiar and I have a better routine as a starter as opposed to a bullpen guy. I’ll get back on that, get my running in, stuff in the weight room, play catch and just get ready for that next start.”

While an increased workload could lead to soreness for pitchers, Price hasn’t suffered from that in any capacity thus far in 2021. “Feel good. I felt good through all four innings and feel good now,” he said.

“I can tell when I’m going to be sore the next day or whenever I’m going to feel good. I know I will feel good [Monday]. My body has bounced back really well in games I’ve come in as a reliever and started. I’ve bounced back really well, so that’s a good sign.”

Price not surprised to recover so well

Price entered the year with a fresh arm after opting out of the 2020 season due to concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He believes the time off has allowed him to recover faster with each outing.

“That was a year to kind of recover and get fully healthy. This is the way I’m accustomed to feeling both on the mound and post-starts or post-outings, and days in between,” he said. “I’m happy to be healthy out there. It feels good.”

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