Anthopoulos: Price 'probably the best teammate I've ever seen'
On the verge of a substantial payday, marquee free agent David Price received a strong endorsement from his former employer, padding an already impressive resume.
Former Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos landed Price at the non-waiver trade deadline to help bolster his rotation for a postseason push, but what the clubhouse received was something above and beyond what the left-hander gave on the mound every fifth day.
"David Price was one of the guys that if you talk to people in that clubhouse … We already had a good clubhouse, but he took it to a whole different level," Anthopoulos told WEEI. "He's probably the best teammate I've ever seen. I haven't been in the game that long, but everyone else who has been around him has said he's the best they've ever seen."
The cost to acquire Price was steep, with a trio of young arms headlined by Daniel Norris heading back to Detroit. The deal was quickly justified, however, as the five-time All-Star captivated a fan base, and country, going 9-1 with a 2.30 ERA across 11 starts.
Fast forward four months and both Anthopoulos and Price both find themselves free agents, with the former believing whoever signs the latter will be getting their money's worth.
"Look, he's got front-line stuff. But he's legitimately a great teammate," Anthopoulos said. "His work ethic is off the charts and he makes everybody else on the team a lot better. He brings something else more than just the 2.00-ERA and the 240 innings and everything else. He leads. He sets a great example. He'll be a great get for any team that gets him."
While the Blue Jays likely took themselves out of the Price sweepstakes on Friday when they agreed to a three-year, $36-million deal with J.A. Happ, there's no shortage of suitors for Price.
The Boston Red Sox are rumored to be highly coveting the 30-year-old Cy Young winner, with one National League GM believing they're willing to outspend teams by $30-to-$40 million to land the ace.