Do the Blue Jays Have a Legit Shot at Landing David Price?

Update: Yes they do. They did!

David Price may be a rental pitcher; but if there was ever a rental to go after, it would be him.

If the Blue Jays are going to clean the cupboard of some of their best prospects, it may as well be for a Cy Young Award winner and one of the premier starting pitchers in all of baseball, David Price.

What initially only seemed like a pipe dream mere days ago is suddenly becoming more and more plausible. Reports of the Blue Jays’ interest and strong push for David Price are beginning to gain traction.

A huge bidding war could erupt at any given moment for his services, which indicates the heavy hitters like the Yankees and Dodgers would be in pursuit. But the Blue Jays have broken through as a favourite to land the former Cy Young winner.

What’s the Cost of Price?

To me, I can’t foresee a scenario where the Blue Jays could pry David Price away from the Tigers without giving up one of Daniel Norris or Marcus Stroman. This may be an instance where Detroit is looking for quality prospects to replace Price rather than quantity of prospects.

If the Cincinnati Reds wanted Marcus Stroman in exchange for Johnny Cueto, then the haul for David Price would invariably be that much bigger.

Given that Price would only be a rental for the Blue Jays, but the cost to lure him away from the Detroit Tigers would be incredibly steep, as he’s without question the best pitcher on the market.

If the Blue Jays truly have some pieces that the Tigers really like, then it shouldn’t be all that difficult to get a trade done for David Price. The question is whether Alex Anthopoulos wants to part with those players or not.

Much like with the Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki trades, there was one name on the Blue Jays’ side which was the tipping point on the respective deals. With Donaldson, it was Brett Lawrie’s name; and with Tulowitzki, it was Jeff Hoffman.

Once Anthopoulos turned around and included those key players in the deal, it sounds like those respective trades got the green-light. I’m curious as to who that player would be in any potential talks for David Price.

He’s a Rental, but He’s the Best Rental

Even though Price would only be a rental and make something like 10 or 11 more starts this season, those handful of starts could be the difference between the Blue Jays making the playoffs and not making the playoffs.

For many years, the Blue Jays have lacked a true “ace” and David Price would immediately fill that need. Acquiring Price would launch the Blue Jays into an incredible position to make a run at the playoffs; something they haven’t done in an incredibly long time.

In this particular scenario, I don’t think many would fault Alex Anthopoulos for giving up some coveted prospects to land the best pitcher on the market. Even if this playoff push falls flat, it’s better to have big aspirations and do something rather than nothing at all.

Price Can Deliver in the AL East

David Price certainly has the pedigree to pitch within the American League East, so there’s no question he could stand up to the likes of pitching against the Yankees, Orioles and his former friends, the Tampa Bay Rays.

I like Stoeten’s idea of tabling an offer surrounding Drew Hutchison. While the Jays would certainly make that exchange in a heartbeat, I don’t know if Hutchison is enough on their end to get a deal done. Also, if the Tigers have no interest in Hutchison, then it’s a moot point altogether.

But if the Detroit Tigers fancy someone like Daniel Norris, as difficult as that trade would be to make, the Blue Jays should seriously consider doing it.

Trade for Price and Sign Later?

If the Blue Jays were to acquire David Price, there’s the remote possibility that they could do what they did with R.A. Dickey and trade for him and immediately ink him to a contract extension.

But I’m afraid a “trade and sign” isn’t very appealing to someone like David Price who could very easily break the bank for his next free agent contact.

It would also be presumptuous to assume the Jays may have a shot at signing David Price to a contract extension at the end of the season. I just think the bright lights of free agency will just be way too appealing for David Price.

The Blue Jays might be able to make a strong offer, but as with any ace on the market, there’s always one team out there that usually blows all the others out of the water in terms of years and dollars.

If Alex Anthopoulos received the support of ownership to make a push for Russell Martin this past offseason, I don’t see why they couldn’t make a strong push for David Price this offseason. That is, so long as this “five year policy” is officially abolished.

The Blue Jays have been notorious for their inability to sign free agent pitchers, and this could be how they get their foot in the door on somebody like David Price; especially if this move helps propel the Blue Jays into the playoffs.

Price Can Deliver in the AL East

David Price certainly has the pedigree to pitch within the American League East, so there’s no question he could stand up to the likes of pitching against the Yankees, Orioles and his former friends, the Tampa Bay Rays.

I like Stoeten’s idea of tabling an offer surrounding Drew Hutchison. While the Jays would certainly make that exchange in a heartbeat, I don’t know if Hutchison is enough on their end to get a deal done.

The Detroit Tigers were reported to be seeking Major League-ready arms, and Drew Hutchison definitely fits that profile. On the flip side, if the Tigers have no interest in Hutchison, then it’s a moot point altogether.

But if the Detroit Tigers fancy someone like Daniel Norris and/or Dalton Pompey, as difficult as that trade would be to make, the Blue Jays should seriously consider doing it.