Detroit Tigers acquire David Price

Today, the Price really is right in Detroit.

In a move that turns the baseball world upside-down, the Detroit Tigers have acquired LHP David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays, per Ken Rosenthal.

Final trade details via Jon Morosi

The flame-throwing Price, 28, is 11-8 with a 3.11 ERA in 23 starts this season. A career 3.18 ERA in seven seasons with the Rays, Price won the 2012 Cy Young Award. A powerhouse of a pitcher, Price has also racked up a MLB leading 189 SO’s.

David Price makes sense for the Tigers as the time to win is now in Detroit and he isn’t a free agent until after the 2015 season, meaning he could be Max Scherzer‘s replacement in the rotation next season if Scherzer leaves Motown.

It’s easy to speculate that the Tigers made this move to counteract with the recent moves the Oakland Athletics, their playoff rival, have made. The A’s bolster a very strong rotation after acquiring Jeff Samardzjia, Jon Lester, and Jason Hammel; complimenting Scott Kazmir and Sonny Gray. But one could say that after the Price deal, the Tigers now have an even better rotation, possibly the best in baseball. They now also have the past three Cy Young winners in their rotation.

“It’s World Series or bust for the Tigers”

The Tigers starting rotation will now consist of Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, David Price, Justin Verlander, and Rick Porcello. Porcello will then move to the bullpen for the playoffs once the four man rotation is in place.

Tigers GM David Dombrowski never ceases to amaze when it comes to this time in the season. Consider the entire baseball playoff landscape changed.