Report: Price, Eckersley had 'verbal confrontation' on Red Sox flight

The already strained relationship between David Price and the Boston media took another bizarre turn Friday.

Price and NESN television analyst Dennis Eckersley reportedly got into a "verbal confrontation" on Thursday night's Red Sox flight to Toronto, team sources told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

It's not immediately clear what, if anything, Eckersley could have said on Thursday's broadcast that irked Price. The 31-year-old struck out seven in seven innings of work on Thursday at Fenway Park and earned his third win of the season.

Neither Price nor Eckersley has commented on the incident. Red Sox president Sam Kennedy is hoping to settle the issue privately, according to Cafardo.

Price has come under scrutiny for his relationship with the media since joining Boston two years ago. Early in June, he asked reporters to not speak with him on days he wasn't starting, and then confronted a reporter postgame, allegedly over some questionable tweets. At the time, manager John Farrell defended his star left-hander, stating that accountability is a "two-way street" between players and reporters.

Price, who's earning $30 million this season and can opt out of his seven-year deal with the Red Sox after next year, missed the first two months of 2017 due to an elbow issue.