Red Sox starter David Price scratched from start vs. Yankees and sent home for MRI on numb hand

Price has been struggling badly of late and his status going forward is yet to be determined

Here's some potentially discouraging news about Red Sox left-hander David Price ... 

David Price sent home. Scratched from tomorrow's start. The numbness in his hand has come back. Getting tested. Rick Porcello pitching instead.

— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) May 8, 2018

Nearly a month ago, Price was pulled after just 35 pitches against the Yankees because of numbness in his hand. It was the shortest start of his career. Price said he dealt with a similar sensation before but it had always subsided. This time it didn't, at least not right away. The next day Price felt better during a long-toss session. Now, however, the issue seems to have returned. 

Very likely, this has something to do with Price's recent struggles. He started 2018 in vintage form, as he worked seven scoreless innings in each of his first two starts. Since then, however, he's allowed 24 runs and issued 13 walks in 23 innings spread across five starts. 

Price is in the third year of a seven-year, $217 million deal with the Red Sox. Price mostly delivered in his first season in Boston, but he's made just 18 starts and five relief appearances since the start of the 2017 season. Last year, he dealt with significant elbow problems, and this year it's the numbness issue. 

The Sox of course have legitimate designs on the World Series, and they could use something close to vintage Price -- something they got in those first two starts of 2018. For the time being, though, Price is unfortunately an unknown quantity. At the very least, perhaps he'll have some medical clarity after undergoing these tests. 

In the event that Price is sidelined for a significant amount of time, the Red Sox may look to replace him with Steven Wright, who's slated to return from suspension on May 14.