BOSTON -- Despite leaving his start after one inning Wednesday night because of numbness in his left hand, Boston Red Sox ace David Price says he believes he avoided serious injury.
Price, who gave up four first-inning runs in a brawl-filled 10-7 loss to the New York Yankees, said he expected to play catch Thursday with the hope of making his next start.
"My hand never really warmed up," Price said. "My arm felt fine. My arm felt really good. I had no clue where [the ball] was going."
Price, off to the best start of his career, missed most of last season because of elbow and forearm injuries. Neither he nor Red Sox manager Alex Cora say they believe this latest issue is related. At this point, Price isn't scheduled for an MRI or any additional testing.
If anything, Price and Cora thought the problem might have been caused by the cold weather. It was 42 degrees at Fenway Park when Price threw his first pitch.
"We don't know if it was the cold weather or if there was an issue there, but he couldn't grip the ball," Cora said. "He felt it early in the inning or halfway through the inning. You saw the fastball command. We've been praising him about hitting his spots, and he didn't."
Cora said after Thursday's game that Price felt good playing catch earlier in the day and would start Tuesday in Anaheim against the Angels.
Entering the game, Price hadn't given up a run in 14 innings over two starts, and 22 innings dating to his late-season relief stint last year. But he gave up a leadoff infield single to Brett Gardner and walked Aaron Judge before giving up a two-run triple to Giancarlo Stanton. After getting Didi Gregorius to pop up, Price gave up a two-run homer to Gary Sanchez.
Only 16 of Price's 35 pitches were strikes. His velocity also appeared to be down, with only two 93 mph radar readings. When he completed the inning, he went directly down a tunnel to the clubhouse with a trainer.
It marked the shortest start of Price's 11-year career.
"I had no pain. I have no pain," said Price, who described the issue as a lack of feeling in his fingertips. "Even when I came in and did all the stuff with the doctors, I still had no pain."
After being examined by doctors, Price said his hand had "thawed out" enough to throw a few balls against a wall in the training room. He is scheduled to start again in the Red Sox's annual Patriots' Day matinee Monday against the Baltimore Orioles.
"He's going to come back [Thursday], most likely play catch and go from there," Cora said. "But it seems like he should be fine as of now."