Former Commodore David Price Announces he Will Sit Out MLB Season
Former Vanderbilt star David Price will not play for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 because of health concerns in the face of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Price announced through his Twitter account on Saturday afternoon as people around the nation celebrated the 4th of July holiday.
Price's statement reads as follows.
"Dear Dodgers Nation,
"After considerable thought and discussion with my family and the Dodgers, I have decided it is in the best interest of my health and my family's health for me to not play this season. "I will miss my teammates and will be cheering for them throughout the season and on to a World Series victory. I'm sorry I won't be playing for you this year, but look forward to representing you next year."
Stay safe, be well, and be kind. And Go Dodgers.
Love, David Price."
The five-time All-Star was traded to the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox in February, along with Mookie Betts, who, like Price, also hails from the Middle Tennessee area.
Price made headlines in May when he announced he would donate $1,000 to every minor leaguer in Los Angeles' system for June during the COVID-19 crisis.
The No.1 overall selection in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, Price, who stared at Vanderbilt, was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He has made stops with the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox. In 2018, he was part of the Red Sox World Series championship team.
Price joins a list of players sitting out the season that including Nationals infielder Ryan Zimmerman and pitcher Joe Ross, Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond and Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake.
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A 29 year veteran of radio in the Middle Tennessee area and 16 years in digital and internet media having covered the Tennessee Titans for Scout Media and TitanInsider.com before joining the Sports Illustrated family of networks.