BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora is sticking with David Price [url=http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-stephen-piscotty-jersey]Stephen Piscotty Jersey[/url] , saying Wednesday the left-hander will start Game 2 of the AL Championship Series against Houston despite an unprecedented history of playoff struggles.Speaking on MLB Network radio a day after the Red Sox eliminated the Yankees from the AL Division Series, Cora said he plans to use Chris Sale in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series that begins at Fenway Park on Saturday night. The first-year manager said Price, the loser in the Red Sox only defeat in the ALDS, is still in line to start Game 2.“We trust him,” Cora said last week after Price allowed three runs and got just five outs in a 6-2 loss in Game 2. “He bounced back before. We’ll talk to him and make a few adjustments and we’ll go from there.”Nathan Eovaldi and 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello are expected to start Games 3 and 4, after picking up wins in the same roles against the Yankees. The current Red Sox staff entered the series with a 0-19 postseason record as starters [url=http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-andrew-triggs-jersey]http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-andrew-triggs-jersey[/url] , and now everyone but Price has picked up a win. Price has won two games in relief.In all, Price is 0-9 as a starter in the postseason and his team has lost all 10 of his career playoff starts, the longest such skid in postseason history. The latest was a five-out cameo in Game 2 against the Yankees in which he gave up homers to Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez.But Cora expressed confidence in Price afterward, claiming that Astros ace Justin Verlander and Red Sox Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez also struggled in the playoffs early in their careers. He also noted that Price pitched well out of the bullpen last year, making two appearances with 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against Houston.Verlander had a 5.57 ERA through his first eight playoff starts, but he won three of them; Martinez struggled in the 2003 and early in the 2004 postseason but had already posted a win in his playoff debut in 1998 and threw 18 shutout innings over three appearances in 1999.Price said after his start he will pitch in any role that helps the team.“I just want to win. That’s it [url=http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-jake-smolinski-jersey]Jake Smolinski Jersey[/url] ,” Price said after his ALDS start. “My main goal is to win in the playoffs, to win a World Series. … And whatever I need to do to help us do that, I’m fine with. But I know I’m more than capable of winning games as a starter in October. That’s what I look forward to doing.” The Washington Nationalshave decided to wave the white flag, but impending free agent Bryce Harper reportedly will not be among the Nationals traded.Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan reported on Tuesday that the Los Angeles Dodgershad placed a revocable waiver claim on the outfielder. However, Jon Heyman of Fancred followed that up minutes later by tweeting Harper's waivers had expired, meaning he could no longer be traded.At 62-63 [url=http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-bruce-maxwell-jersey]Bruce Maxwell Jersey[/url] , Washington is 7.5 games back in the National League East and 6.5 back in the Wild Card race. With just 37 games left to play, the organization decided it was time to start breaking up the team. The Nationals traded three-time All-Star Daniel Murphy to the Chicago Cubsand Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals.Those moves had some wondering if Harper would be the next to leave town. As it turns out, that won't be the case.All of this comes just three weeks after Washington decided not to give up on the season at the non-waiver trade deadline.MLB.com'sMark Feinsandreported at the time that the Nationals had let teams around the league know that Harper was available. However, general manager Mike Rizzo made it clear that the face of the franchise wasn't going anywhere, via Chelsea Janes of theWashington Post:Chelsea Janes chelsea_janesMike Rizzo just reached out with this message: quot;Bryce is not going anywhere. I believe in this team.quot;That belief quickly vanished as the team dug itself an even bigger hole by going 9-10 in August.Harper is having a relative down year, hitting just .246 [url=http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-chad-pinder-jersey]http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-chad-pinder-jersey[/url] , which would be the second-lowest average of his career. He does, however, rank tied for second in the NL with 30 home runs and tied for first with 91 walks. He has caught fire, though, in the second half after winning the Home Run Derby at Nationals Park, hitting .350 with seven home runs [url=http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-brett-anderson-jersey]Brett Anderson Jersey[/url] , nine doubles and 25 RBI.And yet, it hasn't been enough to keep Washington in the thick of postseason contention.Harper is set to become a free agent after the season, so the Nationals are risking losing him for nothing more than a compensation pick. On the other hand, trading him would likely decrease their odds of signing the 25-year-old star in free agency.