Velocity down, Price searching for answers

NEW YORK — Seven starts into his Red Sox tenure, David Price has a 6.75 ERA and a fastball that is a couple of miles per hour slower than it’s been for most of his career.

As you might imagine, those two go hand in hand.

In Saturday’s 8-2 loss to the Yankees, Price gave up six runs for the second straight start. In the previous outing at Fenway Park — also against the Yankees — Price was at least able to go seven innings.

This time, he was out after throwing 104 pitches in just 4 2/3 innings.

“I feel like the more velocity that you have, the more mistakes you get away with,” said Price. “Right now, I’m not getting away with mistakes — or good pitches, for that matter. That’s part of it. They hit some good pitches today. I’m going to work these next four days and be ready to go.”

Price’s fastest pitch in Saturday’s loss registered at 93.5 mph. His average fastball was 92.5 mph. For most of Price’s career, he has sat in the mid-90s with his four-seamer.

But the lower-90s have been his home so far this year, and the left-hander is still getting used to it.

Price and the Red Sox are both adamant that the decreased velocity isn’t health related.

“It’s down a little bit from maybe what we’ve been accustomed to seeing, but that’s not health-related,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “Right now …

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