David Price, Blue Jays pitcher, will start Monday
Price was late to Toronto after blowing out tire
David Price will make his first start with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, barring any more unforeseen transit hiccups.
Price's tenure with the Blue Jays literally got off to a bumpy start Friday when his car blew out a tire on his drive from Detroit to Toronto.
"Sweet tire blew out on my way to the six," he posted on Twitter just after 10 a.m.
Less than an hour later, Price tweeted: "No one has tires to fit the back of my car so my presence in the 6 is gonna be delayed another couple hours...unreal!"
Sweet tire blew out on my way to the six... waiting on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AAA?src=hash">#AAA</a> with bubble guts is always fun!! To trust or not to trust 🚶🏾💨?!
—@DAVIDprice14The 29-year-old who has expressed a love for Rogers Centre popcorn was set to be introduced by the Blue Jays in the afternoon, but the team later confirmed that the press conference has been postponed.
Price then tweeted a photo of his car getting towed with the message: "Jenny got a busted lip but she will be just fine! Things can always be worse...find a positive in negative situations."
Jenny got a busted lip but she will be just fine! Things can always be worse...find a positive in negative situations <a href="http://t.co/xsi5H0LgqZ">pic.twitter.com/xsi5H0LgqZ</a>
—@DAVIDprice14General manager Alex Anthopoulos got a brief update on Price that "He is in Canada" after crossing the border from Michigan.
"Excited to have him, you guys will meet him and excited to see him pitch," Anthopoulos said.
That'll be Monday against the Minnesota Twins, who the Blue Jays are chasing in the American League wild-card race. Price was on rotation to start Sunday but because he couldn't thrown his side session Thursday, manager John Gibbons said the decision was made to push him back.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will start on short rest Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. Price pitching Monday also allows him to get one extra start against the AL East-leading New York Yankees among the 13 he would make if he stays healthy.
The Blue Jays acquired Price from the Tigers in a trade that included top pitching prospect Daniel Norris and two others going to Detroit.
Price is 7-0 in nine career starts at Rogers Centre. Maybe it's the popcorn.
"All I'm asking for from Γåòbluejays is to have the BIGGEST trashbag of popcorn waiting for me at my locker!" Price tweeted after the trade. "Best popcorn EVER."
The Blue Jays obliged, tweeting a photo of Price's locker stocked with popcorn and a card welcoming him to Toronto.
"He asked for it," Anthopoulos said. "You guys saw the tweet. A lot of times players ask for things. Within what we could pull off, popcorn's very doable."