Price feels good in first rehab start

BRADENTON--Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price took the mound for the Stone Crabs on Friday night in Bradenton in his first rehab assignment since being placed on the Disabled List on May 16th with a strained left tricep in his pitching arm. Despite despite allowing two runs over 2.1 innings, the outing was a nerve-racking success.

"I wasn't nervous thinking about how I would feel, but I was nervous though because it was the first time I've been out there in six weeks," Price said. "My legs were shaking and it felt like either my first Spring Training outing or the first game of the year. It was good to have that feeling back because I haven't had it in a long time."

Price threw 49 pitches/29 for strikes in his debut, but had good command around the plate and got back to feeling like a Major League pitcher again.

"(They) wanted me to get up for that third time for sure," Price said. "That's the biggest thing, it's not so much the pitch count, it's just sitting down and getting back up and doing so numerous times."

Of the two runs scored off Price only one was earned, an RBI double by Dan Gamache off of Eliazer Suero after Price had exited the game.

Currently there is no time table on Price's rehab assignment and return to the Rays rotation, so the Charlotte Sports Park faithful can expect a Cy Young Award winner possibly taking the mound in a Stone Crabs uniform some time next week.

"We are taking it day-by-day," Price said. "You want to make sure to wake up and feel good because you don't want to rush it back."

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