FULL NAME: David Taylor Price
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'5", 215 lbs
BORN: August 26, 1985, in Murfreesboro, TN
POSITION: Pitcher
DRAFT: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 19th round of the 2004 MLB Draft and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1st round (1st) of the 2007 MLB Draft
HIGH SCHOOL: Blackmon High School (Murfreesboro, TN)
COLLEGE: Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: 2018 World Series Champion; 5x AL All-Star; 2012 AL Cy Young Award; 2012 AL wins leader; 2x AL ERA leader; 2014 AL strikeout leader
My former teammate Gabe Kapler really motivated me to eat smart—he’s a stickler about eating for performance and recovery. He got me on almond butter. That was something he was always eating after batting practice to refuel. Just watching the way he went about his work and his nutrition, and seeing the shape that he was in at his age, opened my eyes. It made me start watching what I put in my body and start eating the good stuff, especially two or three nights before I pitch. He always encouraged me to try new things in my diet. I used to be more cut and dry with what I would and wouldn’t eat, but trying new things and discovering that I actually enjoy eating healthy food was a big revelation.
I love sweets, but I feel sluggish the next morning if I’ve had dessert the night before. I see a clear connection between my healthier eating habits and my performance, because I wake up feeling better when I’ve eaten well.
I love food. I want to enjoy what I eat. To know that I can enjoy food and also eat well was eye-opening. My wife is a healthy eater and she cooks food that’s all natural and organic. She turned me on to eating healthy food that is also delicious.
My wife makes homemade all-natural pasta sauce with ground turkey—switching from ground beef to ground turkey was a big change. We use ground turkey now in tacos and pasta; I used to just have store-bought sauce with meat in it.
I try to eat some fruit every day, often in a smoothie because they are so easy to make and take on the go. For an energy snack I have almond butter on apples and bananas. I also drink fresh juices—if it’s going to benefit my health, then I’m going to drink it. One of my teammates made me one with beets, kale, all that stuff.
To stay hydrated I drink four bottles of water over the first five innings of pitching. I also have it first thing when I wake up and then have two more bottles in the morning. There’s always water on my nightstand, and I load up my backpack when I head to the field. I make sure I’m always hydrated.
I’m always extremely hungry when I finish a game, and usually have something like sea bass or chicken with brown rice and mixed vegetables. Lunch is usually lighter—I’ll have a smoothie for lunch, a protein shake. I’ll definitely have something, but it’s usually a liquid meal or something with a protein post batting practice.
To me, the best thing about baseball is all the different relationships you build throughout your career. I’ve made a lot of great friends from all the teams I’ve played on. I get to meet new guys, whether at an All-Star game or at an off-season event. Baseball is not something I’m going to be able to do forever. At some point, it’s going to stop for me, but those friendships are the things I’ll take to the grave and what I cherish most.
“I love sweets, but I feel sluggish the next morning if I’ve had dessert the night before. I see a clear connection between my healthier eating habits and my performance, because I wake up feeling better when I’ve eaten well.”
with Cauliflower Puree
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 5 minutes // COOK: 15 minutes
Cauliflower puree is the MVP of this dish, and the perfect complement to the roasted sea bass. You’ll find it hard not to go back for seconds, so you may want to make extra. And remember your greens—the steamed chard completes the meal.
2 (4-ounce) sea bass fillets
½ teaspoon coconut oil, melted
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cauliflower Puree and Chard (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the fish on a small baking sheet and rub with the oil. Season with the cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Bake until opaque and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness.
3. Serve the fish with the cauliflower and chard.
CAULIFLOWER PUREE AND CHARD
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 20 minutes // COOK: 30 minutes
½ cup chopped white onion
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
4 cups chopped cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves (any color), ribs removed first
1 lemon wedge
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the onion with the coconut oil and spread in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until just beginning to char, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 3 inches of water to a boil. Put the cauliflower in the basket, cover, and steam for 18 to 20 minutes, until very soft. Combine the cauliflower, onion, and olive oil in a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Put the chard in a steamer basket, cover, and steam for 15 to 20 seconds, until just wilted. Squeeze the lemon wedge over chard and season with salt.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 10 minutes // COOK: 10 minutes
The next time you crave a wholesome meatless main meal, this nourishing grain bowl will not let you down. Grab a fork and dig in.
2 plum tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon avocado oil
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon grated garlic
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
3 cups baby arugula
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, warm (see this page)
8 basil leaves, torn
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the oil, paprika, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a casserole dish and roast, stirring once, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Put the broccoli in the basket, cover, and steam for 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt.
4. Scrape the roasted tomatoes into a large bowl. Immediately toss with the arugula, rice, broccoli, basil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide between 2 bowls.
SERVES: 6 // PREP: 5 minutes, plus 2 hours soaking time // COOK: 20 minutes
This sensational granola is so good it’ll knock your (Red) socks off. Grab a handful of crunchy bits when the snack cravings hit you or use it as a topping for coconut yogurt, soup, or a smoothie. Make a bunch and store in an airtight container.
1 cup Brazil nuts
3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup walnuts
¼ cup honey
1½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons chlorella powder
1. Place the Brazil nuts in a bowl and cover with room-temperature water; soak for 2 hours. Drain well, rinse, and coarsely chop.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
3. In a food processor, pulse the Brazil nuts, coconut flakes, and walnuts for 10 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the honey and oil. Arrange in a single layer on the lined sheet pan and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring every 6 minutes, until golden brown.
4. Return the granola to the large bowl, add the chlorella, and toss until it sticks. Let cool before serving; it will get crunchier as it sits. The granola will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
with Pickled Red Onion
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 20 minutes // COOK: 5 minutes
Taco bowls have all the familiar spicy and savory flavors minus the shell. Any extra pickled onion keeps for up to 4 weeks refrigerated and can be used as a terrific condiment.
1 teaspoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
8 ounces ground turkey (mix of white and dark meat)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ cups cooked short-grain brown rice, warm (see this page)
2 cups thinly sliced dinosaur kale, tough stems removed first
1 avocado, cut into chunks
¼ cup Pickled Red Onion (recipe follows)
Juice of 1 lime
1. In a medium skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, using a wooden spoon to break it up, until cooked through and no pink remains, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, cayenne, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Divide the rice, kale, turkey, avocado, and pickled red onion between 2 bowls. Drizzle with lime juice.
PICKLED RED ONION
MAKES: about 1¼ cups // PREP: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time // COOK: 5 minutes
¾ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 cups thinly shaved red onion
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 3 cups water, both vinegars, garlic, salt, bay leaf, and peppercorns to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Put the red onion in a heatproof glass container (like a large mason jar) big enough to hold the liquid; strain the hot liquid over the onions. Let stand for at least 1 hour.
2. Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, store the onions in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. You can strain the liquid if you want to stop the pickling process.
